U.S. President Joe Biden speaks to reporters about the launch of WNBA basketball star Brittney Griner by Russia as U.S. Secretary of Condition Antony Blinken, Vice President Kamala Harris and Cherelle Griner seem on in the Roosevelt Place at the White Dwelling in Washington, U.S. December 8, 2022.
Jonathan Ernst | Reuters
President Joe Biden declared Thursday that WNBA star Brittney Griner, who has been detained in Russia for nine months, was released on a prisoner swap and is predicted to be home in 24 hrs.
Griner was arrested 10 months in the past for possessing two vape cartridges containing hashish oil even though touring as a result of an airport close to Moscow. She was sentenced to nine a long time in prison in August and transferred to a penal colony past thirty day period.
In trade for Griner’s launch, the U.S. agreed to release imprisoned Russian arms vendor Viktor Bout.
Notably absent from the swap was American detained in Russia, Paul Whelan, who has been in Russian custody for far for a longer time. Biden mentioned it was not a choice on his component.
“We have not forgotten about Paul Whelan,” Biden said. “Sadly for entirely illegitimate explanations, Russia is managing Paul’s scenario in a different way than Brittney’s.”
