Brittney Griner

In this file photo, US Women National Basketball Association's (NBA) basketball player Brittney Griner, who was detained at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport ...

The Russian citizen has been returned to his homeland,” the defence ministry said. was successfully completed,” the foreign ministry said in a statement. Moscow said it had been negotiating with Washington to secure Bout’s release “for a long time” and that initially the US had “refused dialogue” on including him in any swap.

The US and Russia have exchanged jailed US basketball star Brittney Griner for notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout, held in an American prison for 12 years.

He was extradited two years later and has spent the past 12 years languishing in an American jail for conspiring to support terrorists and kill Americans. His secretive career was brought to an end by an elaborate US sting in 2008, when he was arrested at a hotel in the Thai capital Bangkok, to the anger of the Russian government. The US and Russia have exchanged jailed US basketball star Brittney Griner for notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout, held in an American prison for 12 years.

The Biden administration agreed to release the notorious Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout for the release of the WNBA superstar.

"He's a violent criminal, who was responsible for aiding and abetting violence all over the world." Scheindlin, then a federal judge for the US District Court for the Southern District of New York who ruled on the case, has since said "the sentence was too high in the first place." "At the same time, it's important that we work to reinforce the global norm against these arbitrary detentions, against what is truly a horrific practice." "I had to give the sentence I gave." She added that "he'd be deranged the risk going back to prison." [lobbied hard for Bout's return](https://www.rferl.org/a/why_is_moscow_so_interested_in_securing_viktor_bouts_return/24380641.html) ever since, and Russian media repeatedly linked him to potential prisoner swaps with imprisoned Americans — including Reed. Soon after, Bout was arrested in Bangkok and, following an extended legal battle and protests from the Russian government, extradited to the United States. American officials lured the elusive arms distributor to engage with purported representatives of a Colombian guerilla group. The [Biden administration initially proposed the prisoner exchange](https://www.insider.com/biden-offers-arms-trafficker-brittney-griner-potential-exchange-russia-2022-7) in June to bring the basketball superstar back to the US. Known as the "Merchant of Death," he is infamous for supplying rebel groups and terrorist organizations with weapons that fueled bloody wars across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. His 2008 arrest in Thailand, though, wasn't actually based on charges for the high-stakes trafficking operations that have since served as inspiration for several movies, documentaries, and books. [sentenced to nine years in Russian prison](https://www.insider.com/brittney-griner-guilty-sentence-9-years-russian-prison-drug-smuggling-trial-2022-8).

WNBA star Brittney Griner released from a Russian prison in a US-Russia prisoner swap. Griner's release was confirmed by President Biden.

Griner was sent to a penal colony in November, but now, she will return home in time for Christmas. This news comes months after back-and-forth negotiations between the U.S. “She is safe.

The American basketball star was imprisoned in Russia for 10 months as diplomatic relations between Washington and Moscow ground to a halt.

Biden said at a press conference Thursday freeing Griner but not Whelan was not a “choice of which American to bring home,” asserting Russia is treating Whelan’s potential release differently for “totally illegitimate reasons.” American Trevor Reed, a fellow Marine veteran, was released by Russia in April Marine Paul Whelan is now the only known American imprisoned in Russia. [for allegedly](https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/international-arms-dealer-viktor-bout-convicted-new-york-terrorism-crimes) selling arms to a designated terrorist group. The U.S. She is on a plane.

The Texas basketball star was first detained in February and was recently moved to a Russian penal colony.

This morning, I joined President Biden, Vice President Harris, National Security Advisor Sullivan, and Cherelle Griner in the Oval Office, as Cherelle spoke ...

Moscow confirmed Thursday it had exchanged US basketball star Brittney Griner, who had been jailed in Russia, for notorious arms trafficker Viktor Bout, ...

The Russian citizen has been returned to his homeland,” the defence ministry said. was successfully completed,” the foreign ministry said in a statement. “Nevertheless, the Russian Federation continued to actively work to rescue our compatriot.

Those who have who have worked with Mercury center Brittney Griner throughout her basketball career expressed relief and gratitude that she is headed home ...

"There has not been a day over the past ten months where we all haven't had Brittney Griner on our minds and in our hearts," WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a statement. Our prayers remain with her and her family as they recover and heal together." "The emotions for our organization, just like for our fans and so many across the world, are those of joyous celebration, deep gratitude, grief for the time lost, and sincere hope for all families still awaiting the return of a loved one." "I cried, and I'm a girl from Philly. and then, honestly, I cried," Staley said on ESPN's "First Take." "It has been a terrible ordeal for BG, but thankful for President Biden and Vice President [Kamala] Harris and everyone that has helped get her home.

"After months of being unjustly detained in Russia, held under untolerable circumstances, Brittney will soon be back in the arms of her loved ones, and she ...

Roosevelt Room 8:38 A.M. ESTTHE PRESIDENT: Well, good morning, folks. And it is a good morning. Moments ago, standing together with her.

WNBA player Brittney Griner, who was detained at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport and later charged with illegal possession of cannabis, holds a picture of her ...

official also spoke to Whelan himself in prison to share the news. Biden said last month that he hoped Russian President Vladimir Putin would be more willing to discuss a prisoner exchange after the U.S. Last month, she was transferred to a prison colony in Mordovia — 300 miles southeast of Moscow — to begin serving out her sentence. "This was not a situation where we had a choice of which American to bring home," an official told reporters on a conference call. Biden intends to speak with Whelan's family as well, the official told reporters. Griner's detention had been a top priority for Biden and his administration — and he was under increasing pressure to secure her release. "The Russian citizen has been returned to his homeland." Marine Paul Whelan, who remains imprisoned in Russia on espionage charges that the U.S. The U.S. The exchange did not include former U.S. "We start by asking ourselves this question: How is it acceptable for someone like Brittney Griner to be put through sham proceedings and forced to spend [time] ... She's on a plane.

See the moment Brittney Griner was swapped for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. The two prisoners were exchanged on a UAE airport tarmac, ending Griner's ...

"I had to give the sentence I gave." She was charged with the large-scale transportation of drugs and moved to a Russian jail shortly after, before sitting for a trial in Russia. He was subsequently convicted of espionage and sentenced to 16 years in Russian prison, with the possibility of serving time at a labor camp. He offered to sell weapons to the rebels, even with the understanding that the materials could have been used to kill Americans. For most of Griner's detainment, the US attempted to negotiate a two-for-one swap involving the release of both the basketball star and fellow wrongfully detained American Paul Whelan. Scheindlin — a then-federal judge for the US District Court for the Southern District of New York who ruled on the case — thought her mandatory minimum 25-year sentence "was too high in the first place." Instead, Bout was caught in a Drug Enforcement Agency sting operation. But even so, the Hon. Griner then walks off with the American man who had been escorting Bout. She is on her way home," at 8:14 a.m. She is on a plane. In the clip, the trio, plus Griner, approaches Bout along with another suited man.

Brittney Griner, the US basketball player, has been released by Russia following a swap deal that sends Viktor Bout, an arms trafficker,

Possession of cannabis is illegal in Russia, and despite the Basketball player’s plea that her usage of the substance was medically prescribed, she was sentenced to nine years imprisonment and sent to a penal colony. She is on her way home. She is on a plane.

Griner was jailed for carrying cannabis oil at a Moscow airport in February, and was exchanged for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout on Thursday. The pair were ...

In the video, apparently provided by Russian security services, Bout was warmly greeted by two Russian officials as Griner, who is 6ft 9in (206cm), looks on. Pictures showed him hugging his mother and wife at the airport tarmac. During her trial in Russia, she said the cannabis oil found in her bag had been an "honest mistake". She is one of the best-known sportswomen in America. Footage on Russian state media showed them crossing on the tarmac with their respective teams. He has been held in an American prison for 12 years.

Deal led to exchange of notorious arms trafficker for US basketball star while not including former marine.

For cost savings, you can change your plan at any time online in the “Settings & Account” section. Compare Standard and Premium Digital For a full comparison of Standard and Premium Digital,

The Olympic gold medallist was convicted of drug smuggling and freed in a prisoner swap for a Russian arms dealer known as the “Merchant of Death.”

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Brittney Griner returned to the United States early Friday, nearly 10 months after the basketball star's detention in Russia made her the ...

In releasing Bout, the U.S. The U.S. He was arrested in Thailand in 2008 and extradited to the U.S. But the U.S. Her defense team presented written statements that she had been prescribed cannabis to treat pain. The WNBA star, who also played pro basketball in Russia, was arrested at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport in February after Russian authorities said she was carrying vape canisters with cannabis oil.

Basketball star lands at Texas airbase after being swapped for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.

In releasing Bout, the US freed a former Soviet army lieutenant colonel whom the Justice Department once described as one of the world’s most prolific arms dealers. Before her conviction, the US state department declared her to be wrongfully detained, a charge that Russia has sharply rejected. Griner is a two-time Olympic gold medalist, Baylor University All-American and Phoenix Mercury pro basketball star.

American basketball star Brittney Griner returned to the United States early Friday after being freed in a high-profile prisoner exchange following nearly ...

WNBA star, Brittney Griner has landed in the United States after her release from Russian detention on Thursday in a prison swap.

She was later convicted of drug smuggling charges and sentenced to nine years in prison. In November, she was transferred to a penal colony to serve out her sentence. The Basketball star arrived US early Friday.

The US basketball star Brittney Griner was released from Russian jail on December 8 in a prisoner swap for notorious arms dealer Victor Bout, known ...

Bout was detained in Thailand’s capital of Bangkok in 2008 in a US sting operation where he thought he was meeting with Colombian guerrillas and arrested under a warrant issued by a local court at the behest of the US. Russian Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov said the same day that Russia will continue its work to release all Russians who were jailed by the US. He had been one of the world's most notorious arms dealers, selling arms to Afghanistan, Asia and Latin America. “Viktor Bout's Afghanistan dealings were always controversial,” Samuel Ramani, an associate fellow of the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies at Oxford University, said in a tweet. Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medallist and star of the Women's National Basketball Association's Phoenix Mercury, was arrested on February 17 after spending a few months playing professional basketball in the Russian regions. Bout was born in Tajik capital of Dushanbe in Soviet times. "The choice before us was one or none," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told CBS News. [Bout arrived in Moscow to a media circus](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jfGECP3gMCs-5bbi-8liBxVZZ9ZANdZT/view?usp=share_link) where he was met by his mother and wife. She was sentenced on August 4 to nine years in a penal colony. "The swap of Viktor Bout for US basketball player Brittney Griner can truly be described as a New Year gift. The elaborate swap involved two private planes bringing the pair to Abu Dhabi airport from Moscow and Washington, and then flying them home. The two prisoners were exchanged in Abu Dhabi airport before flying home and both received full pardons.

Brittney Griner, the American basketball star held for months in Russian prisons on drug charges, has safely returned to the US after being released from ...

American comedian Terence K Wiliams, best known for his humorous social commentaries and conservative opinions of current affairs, was not happy with the ...