Britney Griner It arrived in the US early Friday morning and landed at Kelly Field in San Antonio, Texas.
The WNBA star, who spent months in a Russian prison on drug charges, was released Thursday one-on-one Notorious International Arms Dealer Prisoner Exchange Victor Boutput an end to the ordeal that sparked intense high-level negotiations between Washington and Moscow to secure her freedom.
Roger Carstens, the President’s Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs murmured“So happy to have Britney back on American soil. Welcome home BG!”
In accordance with standard procedure for released US prisoners, Griner was expected to undergo a medical evaluation immediately.
SUZANNE CORDEIRO/AFP via Getty Images
President Biden Greiner announces imminent return At the White House Thursday morning, he said, “She’s safe. She’s on the plane. She’s on her way home.”
“After months of being wrongfully detained in Russia and held under intolerable conditions, Britney will soon be back in the arms of her loved ones. She should have been there all along,” Biden said. . “This is a day we have been working on for a long time. We never asked for her release.”
CBS News first reported a swap that took place in the United Arab Emirates, citing US officials.
The president said he spoke with Griner by phone from the Oval Office and was joined by Griner’s wife Sherrell, Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Brinken.
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“I’m happy to say that Britney is fine,” Biden said. He dismissed her “show trial in Russia” that sent her to her prison, saying “she asked for no special treatment”.
To secure Griner’s release, the president ordered Bout to be released and returned to Russia. Biden signed a commuting order that shortened Bout’s 25-year federal sentence.
In particular, the Griner-for-Bout exchange left retired US Marines Paul Whelan Imprisoned in Russia. Whelan has been detained in Russia for nearly four years.he convicted on espionage charges What the United States called false.
“We haven’t forgotten Paul Whelan,” Biden said Thursday, adding that he would “never give up” on securing his release.
U.S. officials told reporters that talks with the Russians made it clear there was little prospect of securing the release of both Griner and Whelan in exchange for Bout. Greiner — or take nothing home.”
Whelan told CNN in a phone call on Thursday that he was happy that Griner had been released, but was “very disappointed that no further steps were taken to secure my release.” This month marks the fourth anniversary of Whelan’s detention in Russia.
Griner, a 32-year-old star center for the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, was detained at a Russian airport in February and later pleaded guilty to charges stemming from the discovery of cannabis-derived oil cartridges in his luggage. rice field. Griner said she had no intention of taking cartridges with her when she traveled to Russia to play in the Russian Basketball League during the WNBA offseason.
After five months of diplomatic stalemate and various changes to possible swap arrangements (last summer, the previously reported sending of two prisoners back to Russia for two Americans). (including a U.S. offer that didn’t exist), sources said, a one-for-one exchange in the past two weeks.
Whelan, who once worked as a corporate security contractor, was in Moscow for a friend’s wedding when he was detained at a hotel in December 2018. Russian authorities then sentenced him to 16 years in prison for espionage.
Most recently incarcerated at a federal prison in Marion, Illinois, Bout was arrested by Thailand’s Drug Enforcement Administration in 2008 after he went undercover. He was convicted of conspiring to murder an American, and ten years ago he began a 25-year prison sentence. .
Griner’s arrest was announced in February. Russia’s Unilateral Invasion of Ukraine, all US dealings with the Kremlin are complicated by that dispute. The US says both Griner and Whelan were “wrongfully detained,” and officials suspect Russia is using US prisoners as leverage.
Griner’s return to Bout marks the second prisoner exchange with Russia for the Biden administration. In April, the U.S. convicted Russian smuggler Konstantin Yaroshenko of conspiring to import cocaine. trevor reeda former US Marine who was imprisoned in Russia for nearly three years.
CBS News learned last Thursday that a match exchange with Greiner was imminent, but agreed to request that the White House keep the coverage on hold.
Biden administration officials have warned that announcing the details of the swap in advance would almost certainly pull Russia out of the deal, jeopardizing Mr. Griner’s well-being.
Nancy Cordes, Ed O’Keefe, Sara Cook, Camilla Schick, Tucker Reals, Haley Ott, Melissa Quinn, and Caitlin Yilek contributed to the report.
