Brittney Griner lands back in US after Russian prisoner swap
American basketball star Brittney Griner gets out of a plane after landing at the JBSA-Kelly Field Annex runway on Dec. 9, 2022, in San Antonio, after she was released from a Russian prison in exchange for a notorious arms dealer. (Photo by SUZANNE C
SAN ANTONIO - Brittney Griner returned to the United States early Friday, nearly 10 months after the basketball star’s detention in Russia made her the most high-profile American jailed abroad and set off a political firestorm.
Griner's status as an openly gay Black woman, her prominence in women's basketball and her imprisonment in a country where authorities have been hostile to the LGBTQ community heightened concerns for her and brought tremendous attention to the case. Russia's invasion of Ukraine after her arrest complicated matters further.
The deal that saw Griner exchanged for notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout achieved a top goal for President Joe Biden. But the U.S. failed to win freedom for another American, Paul Whelan, who has been jailed for nearly four years.
Asked if more such swaps could happen, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday that "everything is possible," noting that "compromises have been found" to clear the way for Thursday's exchange.
Biden’s authorization to release Bout, the Russian felon once nicknamed "the Merchant of Death," underscored the heightened urgency that his administration faced to get Griner home, particularly after the recent resolution of her criminal case on drug charges and her subsequent transfer to a penal colony.
RELATED: Who is Viktor Bout, Russia's 'Merchant of Death' freed in prisoner swap for Brittney Griner?
Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and Phoenix Mercury pro basketball star, was seen getting off a plane that landed Friday at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland in Texas.
"So happy to have Brittney back on U.S. soil. Welcome home BG!" tweeted Roger Carstens, the special presidential envoy for hostage affairs.
Who is Viktor Bout, the Russian arms dealer and 'Merchant of Death' swapped for Brittney Griner?
Former U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration officials who were involved in the effort to bring "Merchant of Death" Viktor Bout to justice have characterized his trade to Russia for WNBA star Brittney Griner's freedom as a "disgrace" and a "grave threat" to U.S national security. Derek Maltz, the DEA special agent in charge who oversaw the investigation of Viktor Bout, said its, "not a fair swap." Maltz added, "We left a Marine behind, sitting in jail, who fought for their country, this is a joke." Maltz is referring to Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine who was arrested in Russia in 2018. He was accused of spying and sentenced to 16-years in prison.
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. The U.S. State Department declared Griner to be "wrongfully detained" — a charge that Russia has sharply rejected.
Griner pleaded guilty in July but still faced trial because admitting guilt in Russia’s judicial system does not automatically end a case. She was sentenced to nine years.
She acknowledged in court that she possessed canisters with cannabis oil but said she had no criminal intent and accidentally packed them. Her defense team presented written statements that she had been prescribed cannabis to treat pain.
Phoenix Mercury's Brittney Griner detained in Russia after vapes found in luggage
Phoenix Mercury player and WNBA All-Star Brittney Griner has been jailed in Russia after vape cartridges were found in her luggage at a Moscow airport, according to multiple reports. A Russian news agency reported that Griner could spend 5 to 10 years in prison on drug smuggling charges, according to the New York Post. Credit: Federal Customs Service of Russia via Storyful
The Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed Thursday's swap, saying in a statement carried by Russian news agencies that the exchange took place in Abu Dhabi and Bout had been flown home.
Biden spoke by phone with Griner. U.S. officials said she would be offered specialized medical services and counseling.
In releasing Bout, the U.S. freed a former Soviet Army lieutenant colonel whom the Justice Department once described as one of the world’s most prolific arms dealers. He was arrested in Thailand in 2008 and extradited to the U.S. in 2010.
Bout was serving a 25-year sentence on charges that he conspired to sell tens of millions of dollars in weapons that U.S officials said were to be used against Americans.
RELATED: American Paul Whelan left behind again in Russia-US prisoner swap
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Tucker reported from Washington.