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WNBA Star Brittney Griner FREED From Russian Custody successful Prisoner Swap
Brittney Griner is home.
The WNBA prima has landed successful the U.S. connected Dec. 8 aft been released from Russian custody. Brittney's instrumentality to America comes astir a twelvemonth aft the Phoenix Mercury center—who plays for a Russian squad during the off-season—was arrested astatine Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport successful February for allegedly possessing vape cartridges that contained cannabis lipid successful her luggage.
The 32-year-old was primitively recovered blameworthy connected cause charges by a Russian tribunal and sentenced to 9 years successful prison successful August, but was traded for Russian arms trader Viktor Bout, who was 11 years into a 25-year sentence. President Joe Biden signed disconnected connected the trade, which took spot successful the UAE, per the official. However, American businessman Paul Whelan, who has been detained successful Russia since 2018, was not included successful the deal.
"Moments agone I spoke to Brittney Griner," the president tweeted Dec. 8 showing casing pictures with Brittney's wife, Cherelle Griner and Vice President Kamala Harris at the White House. "She is safe. She is connected a plane. She is connected her mode home."
Cherelle spoke astatine the White House arsenic well, thanking the president and those who continued to combat for Brittney's freedom.
"Over the past 9 months you each person been truthful privy to 1 of the darkest moments of my life," Cherelle said. "And truthful contiguous I americium conscionable lasting present overwhelmed with emotions, but the astir important emotion that I person close present is conscionable sincere gratitude for President Biden and his full administration. He conscionable mentioned this enactment is not casual and it has not been."
Ethan Miller/Getty Images
However, she besides noted that determination are inactive different families retired determination who haven't had their loved ones travel backmost yet specified arsenic Whelan.
"B.G. is not present to accidental this," she continued. "But I volition gladly talk connected her behalf to accidental B.G. and I volition stay committed to the enactment of getting each American home, including Paul, whose household is successful our hearts contiguous arsenic we observe B.G. being home."
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