The U.S. Attorney's office has asked to close the case of the Russian Petrova

The American prosecutor's office has appealed to the Massachusetts state court with a request to drop the charges of smuggling against a Russian researcher from Harvard, Ksenia Petrova. This is evidenced by a document that was reviewed by RIA Novosti on November 4.

On April 3, 2025, the administration of US President Donald Trump refused to release Petrova, who was detained for importing frog embryos into the United States.

"The prosecution respectfully requests the court to allow the case to be dismissed on the indictment without the possibility of re—filing the same charges," the petition says.

Brutal prices: how the smuggling of rare animals works

Almost all the contents of the Red Book are for sale on the Internet.

Petrov was placed under arrest on May 14, 2025. At first, the scientist denied that she was carrying biological material in her luggage, but then allegedly admitted the opposite. She also stated that she did not know about the requirement to declare frog embryos upon entry, but messages were found on her phone refuting these words. The girl was later released on bail.