Brittney Griner Released By Russia In 1-For-1 Prisoner Swap For Arms Dealer Viktor Bout, U.S. Official Says

Brittney Griner

Brittney Griner Released By Russia In 1-For-1 Prisoner Swap For Arms Dealer Viktor Bout, U.S. Official Says

Brittney Griner is making her way home!

According to reports, WNBA star Brittney Griner was released today (Dec. 8) in a one-for-one prisoner swap for international arms dealer Viktor Bout. The swap reportedly took place in the United Arab Emirates. The one-for-one exchange agreement negotiated with Moscow in recent weeks was given final approval by President Biden within just the last week, according to sources familiar with the deal.

Brittney Griner

President Biden confirmed Brittney Griner’s release early this morning via Twitter. He said,

“Moments ago I spoke to Brittney Griner.

She is safe.
She is on a plane.
She is on her way home.”

President Biden also held a press conference today (Dec. 8) with Brittney Griner’s wife, Cherelle Griner, and Vice President Harris by his side. In part, he said,

“She’s safe. She’s on a plane. She’s on her way home. After months of being unjustly detained in Russia, held under intolerable circumstances, Brittney will soon be back in the arms of her loved ones and she should have been there all along.”

Thank you Mr President for making this happen.
Brittney Griner is coming home.
????@POTUS pic.twitter.com/a3Dxhn7lYk

— Christopher Webb (@cwebbonline) December 8, 2022

According to reports, to secure Griner’s release, the president ordered Bout to be freed and returned to Russia. Mr. Biden signed the commutation order cutting short Bout’s 25-year federal prison sentence.

As previously reported, Griner was wrongfully detained in Russia in February. The Olympic gold medal winner was arrested after Russian authorities allegedly found vape cartridges while searching her luggage at a Moscow airport. Reportedly, the cartridges contained oil derived from cannabis. She was ultimately sentenced to 9 years in a Russian prison.

Brittney Griner

Reports note that the one-for-one exchange came together over the last two weeks, after five months of stalled diplomacy and various permutations of potential swap arrangements. It’s important to note that U.S. Marine veteran Paul Whelan still remains in Russian custody. Over the summer, reports surfaced that the U.S. attempted to get both Griner and Whelan home in a trade that would have sent two prisoners back to Russia for the two Americans.

Whelan has been in Russian custody since 2018 when he was sentenced to 16 years in prison on espionage charges. Claims he denies.

Whelan’s brother, David Whelan, congratulated Griner on her release in a statement while addressing the Biden administration’s failure to release his brother.

“There is no greater success than for a wrongful detainee to be freed and for them to go home. The Biden Administration made the right decision to bring Ms. Griner home, and to make the deal that was possible, rather than waiting for one that wasn’t going to happen,” 

The statement continued,

“She will be reunited with her family. Brittney is free. And Paul is still a hostage. But how many more times do I need to write that? Despite the possibility that there might be an exchange without Paul, our family is still devastated. I can’t even fathom how Paul will feel when he learns. Paul has worked so hard to survive nearly 4 years of this injustice.”

What are your thoughts on this entire situation? Tell us in the comments below! 

[VIA 1,2]