Scientist's Struggle: The Complex Case of Kseniia Petrova

Harvard researcher Kseniia Petrova faces deportation and smuggling charges after obtaining frog embryos for research. She maintains her innocence but risks years of imprisonment. Her case raises concerns about treatment of foreign scientists in the U.S. amid geopolitical tensions.

Kseniia Petrova, a researcher at Harvard University, is at the center of a legal storm after being charged with attempting to smuggle frog embryos into the United States. Petrova, who faces deportation to Russia, claims she had no intention of deceiving authorities.

According to federal prosecutors, the Russian-born scientist attempted to bring the embryos into the country without declaration, which led to her arrest and potential deportation. Messages on her phone allegedly showed an intention to bypass customs declarations, escalating her legal troubles further.

Her plight is stirring concern within the scientific community, worried about the implications for foreign scholars in the U.S. amid heightened political tensions. Advocates argue that cases like Petrova's are indicative of the broader challenges international scientists face.

(With inputs from agencies.)