Russia freed WNBA star Brittney Griner on Thursday in a dramatic high-level prisoner exchange, with the U.S. releasing notorious Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, American officials said.
The swap, at a time of heightened tensions over Ukraine, achieved a top goal for President Joe Biden, but carried a heavy price — and left behind an American jailed for nearly four years in Russia, Paul Whelan, who also holds Canadian citizenship.
Moments ago I spoke to Brittney Griner.<br> <br>She is safe.<br>She is on a plane.<br>She is on her way home. <a href="https://t.co/FmHgfzrcDT">pic.twitter.com/FmHgfzrcDT</a>
—@POTUSBout has been imprisoned in the U.S. since a federal court conviction in 2011 on an assortment of charges, including conspiracy to kill American citizens.
Biden, who tweeted a photo from the White House with Griner's spouse, Cherelle Watson, is expected to speak about the development shortly, multiple U.S. outlets reported.
More to come.
