American Kryvanek was sent to the USA together with the woman exchanged for Buta Greiner

Yesterday, not only Brittney Greiner, who was exchanged for Viktor Bout, flew out of Russia. But also the second (and last) American woman who served her sentence in Russia. Sarah Rachel Krivanek was convicted of inflicting bodily harm on a common-law husband in retaliation for his domestic violence against her.

Sarah spent the last six months in a colony-settlement in Ryazan, then in a center for illegal immigrants. When I visited her there, she dreamed of staying in Russia.

Incredibly weird. Or rather, weird.

Well, what normal citizen of the United States at the age of 40 will drop everything and go to distant, incomprehensible Russia to learn the Russian language and Russian culture?

Sarah fell in love with Russia. Yes, it happens … Sarah spent five years here and paid for her love in full.

She was given a year and three months because her common-law husband beat her all the time, and once she answered him. She had a kitchen knife in her hands.

Nothing happened with my husband, the scratch on his nose healed quickly … He also asked for an apology. But Sarah has already been convicted. Because it was February 2022. And she was American.

A lawyer was given by the state, free of charge, apparently not very interested in getting Sarah out of the mess she got into.

The remaining six months before her release (in the detention center a day goes by two) Sarah left in a colony-settlement in Ryazan.

Krivanek’s visa was already irrevocably expired. Decided to deport. And a ban on entry for three years. She missed all deadlines for the appeal. It is unlikely that she will ever be allowed back to us. From the point of view of politics, it is an extra element, an undesirable one.

I went to Sarah in Ryazan last week, brought candles for Advent, the days before Christmas (“just find the purple ones, please, for me to pray”)

I found lavender-colored candles for her, as well as muesli and raisins, which she loves very much.

“I really don’t want to leave Russia. In America, who needs me? ”The woman was sad.

Unlike Brittney Griner, Sarah did not fly on a private, expensive plane at the expense of the United States government. Neither Biden nor the State Department cared about her fate.

She was purchased a ticket to her homeland on credit through the US Embassy. There is such a program for Americans who have troubles abroad. In a short time, she must return this money, about two thousand dollars. And a couple of hundred more for the previous ticket, when, after initiating a criminal case on bail at the end of last year, she tried to leave Russia for the first time. It was a big violation, in fact, for this she was eventually sent to a pre-trial detention center.

That’s why she didn’t want to come back. Because of the money that I now owe. Of course, she loves Russia and would like to stay here, but the loan strengthens this desire many times over.

Sarah doesn’t have a home… a home. There are no jobs either. And nothing at all. Her father is dead. She missed the deadlines for entering the inheritance, everything went to other people. For her children, she is almost a stranger. They grew up, they have their own life, while she was looking for happiness in Russia.

Sarah has three cats here. Which she could not take with her. The cats were not deported. The former common-law husband, the same one who planted her, promised to take care of them.

At night, Sarah called me from Dubai (Brittney was changed in Abu Dhabi – it’s nearby), where there was a transfer. There were no journalists, no attendants, no politicians. Sarah’s misfortune is not to make publicity. “I’m so scared, there are so many people here. I’m out of the habit of people.”

I said that she should immediately sit down at the book of memoirs when she flew home. In the wake of interest in Brittney Griner and Russian prisons, the book will be bought, and it will probably be able to repay the debt. “OK,” Sarah replied. “Just get some sleep and I’ll start.”

Read about the background of Sarah Krivanek in the material “Love for Russia brought an American to bunk in a pre-trial detention center near Moscow”