American basketball star Brittney Griner landed in Texas on Friday morning, footage confirmed, after she was launched from a Russian jail in a high-profile trade for a infamous arms vendor on Thursday.
Griner, 32, who was arrested in Russia in February on drug costs, was anticipated to be transferred to a close-by army facility for medical checks.
The WNBA star was swapped for ‘Service provider of Dying’ Viktor Bout, 55 – who was serving a 25-year sentence in a US jail – ending what President Joe Biden referred to as months of ‘hell’ for her and her spouse.
The swap deal comes in opposition to a backdrop of hovering tensions over Vladimir Putin’s brutal invasion of Ukraine, and has been criticised by Republicans for handing the infamous arms vendor again to Moscow.
American basketball star Brittney Griner landed within the US state of Texas on Friday morning (pictured), footage broadcast on CNN and Fox Information confirmed, after she was launched from a Russian jail in trade for a infamous arms vendor
Griner was seen getting off a aircraft that landed Friday at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland in Texas, after flying from the UAE the place the prisoner commerce came about.
The deal secured the discharge of probably the most outstanding American detained overseas and achieved a high aim for President Joe Biden.
Nonetheless, the U.S. did not win freedom for one more American, Paul Whelan, who has been jailed for almost 4 years – resulting in criticism of Biden from his opponents.
In the meantime, upon his arrival, Bout advised Kremlin-run media on Friday that Western nations are in search of to ‘destroy’ and ‘divide’ Russia.
‘The West believes that they didn’t end us off in 1990, when the Soviet Union started to disintegrate … They suppose that they will simply destroy us once more and divide Russia,’ he advised state-run channel RT, identified beforehand as Russia At the moment.
Griner is a two-time Olympic gold medalist, Baylor College All-American and Phoenix Mercury professional basketball star.
Her standing as an overtly homosexual Black lady, locked up in a rustic the place authorities have been hostile to the LBGTQ neighborhood, injected racial, gender and social dynamics into her authorized saga and introduced unprecedented consideration to the inhabitants of wrongful detainees in Russia.
The athlete, who additionally performed professional basketball in Russia, was arrested at an airport there in February after Russian authorities mentioned she was carrying vape canisters with hashish oil. Earlier than her conviction, the U.S. State Division declared Griner to be ‘wrongfully detained’ – a cost that Russia has sharply rejected.
Griner, 32, who was arrested in Russia in February on drug costs, was anticipated to be transferred to a close-by army facility for medical checks, US media reported. Pictured: The WNBA star is seen climbing down from a aircraft in Texas on Friday morning
Pictured: A smiling Griner is seen arriving at Kelly Subject in San Antonio, Texas on Friday
Pictured: The aircraft carrying Griner is seen on the tarmac on the San Antonio airport
Pictured: Brittney Griner is seen on a aircraft on her approach dwelling, the place she is advised that she shall be going again to the US. Requested what her temper was, she mentioned: ‘Pleased’
Pictured: ‘Service provider of Dying’ Viktor Bout is seen onboard a aircraft heading again to Russia
The Russian International Ministry confirmed Thursday’s swap, saying in an announcement carried by Russian information businesses that the trade came about in Abu Dhabi and Bout had been flown dwelling.
Biden spoke by cellphone with Griner. U.S. officers mentioned she could be supplied specialised medical providers and counseling.
In releasing Bout, the U.S. freed a former Soviet Military lieutenant colonel whom the Justice Division as soon as described as one of many world’s most prolific arms sellers. He was arrested in Thailand in 2008 and extradited to the U.S. in 2010.
Bout was serving a 25-year sentence on costs that he conspired to promote tens of tens of millions of {dollars} in weapons that U.S officers mentioned had been for use in opposition to People.
Following Griner’s arrest at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport in February, she pleaded responsible in July however nonetheless confronted trial as a result of admitting guilt in Russia’s judicial system doesn’t routinely finish a case.
She acknowledged in court docket that she possessed canisters with hashish oil however mentioned she had no legal intent and she or he unintentionally packed them. Her protection group introduced written statements that she had been prescribed hashish to deal with ache.
On Thursday, the White Home launched footage of the emotional second President Biden advised Griner’s spouse Cherelle that the WNBA star was lastly coming dwelling, earlier than the pair hugged within the Oval Workplace.
President Biden introduced Griner’s launch early Thursday in an handle to the nation on the White Home. ‘She is secure. She is on a aircraft. She is on her approach dwelling,’ he mentioned. He mentioned he had spoken to her and she or he was in ‘good spirits’ after struggling ‘pointless trauma’ by the hands of the Russian state.
That is the emotional second Joe Biden (proper) advised Brittney Griner’s spouse Cherelle (left) that the WNBA star is lastly coming dwelling, earlier than the pair hugged within the Oval Workplace
Within the heartwarming footage launched by Biden’s employees, the President is seen holding Cherelle Griner’s by the arms, telling her that her spouse is on the way in which.
‘She’s on the bottom,’ Biden is heard telling Cherelle, presumably referencing her touchdown within the UAE for the prisoner swap. ‘Cease it,’ Cherelle replies in disbelief.
‘Yep, she’s on the bottom,’ the President says once more. The footage then cuts to point out Cherelle strolling behind the Resolute Desk, saying at present is a ‘nice day’.
‘It is simply such a superb day!’ she says once more sitting in a leather-bound chair with Biden on one aspect, and Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the opposite. All are proven beaming.
‘Oh my god,’ Cherelle, seen in a pink gown, says whereas laughing with pleasure.
Press photos from the workplace additionally confirmed Cherelle being embraced by First Woman Jill Biden, who posted the photographs to her Twitter account. ‘Brittney is coming dwelling,’ the First Woman wrote, together with a coronary heart emoji.
Biden mentioned ‘this can be a day we have labored towards for a very long time. It took painstaking and intense negotiations’ to orchestrate the prisoner swap.
Pictured: Service provider of Dying Victor Bout (proper) is seen smiling throughout the prisoner swap within the UAE. Griner is proven in pink, left, as she is handed over to US officers
Warfare legal Viktor Bout (proper) smiled as he made his approach in the direction of the jet ready for him to be taken again to Russian soil for the primary time in years
In footage launched by Russian state media, Griner, shorn of her distinctive dreadlocks, and a relaxed and animated Bout may very well be seen crossing paths on the airport tarmac and heading in the direction of the planes that may take them dwelling.
Earlier, Griner was seen in footage on a aircraft after being freed, the place she is advised that she shall be going again to the US. Requested what her temper was, she mentioned: ‘Pleased.’
Nonetheless, the swap has been criticised. Many see Bout’s launch as a present to Putin and his struggle effort in Ukraine, think about it a damning indictment on Biden’s diplomatic monitor document, and are appalled by the involvement of Saudi Arabia in negotiating.
The White Home on Thursday denied that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was concerned, but additionally thanked the UAE for the ‘use of their territory’.
On the time of her arrest, Griner had been enjoying for knowledgeable group in Russia, as quite a few WNBA gamers do within the low season.
She pleaded responsible to the costs in opposition to her, however mentioned she didn’t intend to interrupt the legislation or use the banned substance in Russia.
Griner testified that she had permission from a US physician to make use of medicinal hashish to alleviate ache from her many accidents.
The usage of medical marijuana is just not allowed in Russia.
Pictured: Griner is proven on August 4 after being discovered responsible in Russia. She was sentence to 9 years in jail, and was despatched to a jail colony
Paul Whelan (proven in 2019) mentioned he was ‘disillusioned’ to not have been included within the swap on Thursday. He has spent 4 years in Russian jail on costs of espionage
This file photograph taken on March 6, 2009 reveals Russian arms vendor Viktor Bout as he stands behind bars forward of a court docket listening to on the Felony Courtroom in Bangko
The Russian overseas ministry mentioned it had been negotiating with Washington to safe Bout’s launch ‘for a very long time’ and that originally america had ‘refused dialogue’ on together with him in any swap.
‘However, the Russian Federation continued to actively work to rescue our compatriot,’ it mentioned. ‘The Russian citizen has been returned to his homeland.’
The 2005 movie ‘Lord of Warfare’ starring Nicolas Cage was based mostly partially on Bout’s arms trafficking exploits and he has been the topic of a number of books and TV reveals.
Russia’s ambassador to america, Anatoly Antonov, advised Bout in a video message that he was conscious that the arms vendor had been subjected to ‘highly effective bodily and ethical stress’ whereas in jail, Russian information company TASS reported.
‘And also you endured it with dignity,’ the ambassador added, saying Moscow was ‘genuinely delighted by the truth that Russia’s efforts on your launch have finally succeeded.’
Requested about Bout’s launch, a senior US protection official mentioned ‘there’s a concern that he would return to doing the identical type of work that he is completed prior to now.’
