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American basketball star Brittney Griner arrived in her country on Friday morning after being released from a Russian prison in exchange for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, known as “the merchant of death”, imprisoned in the United States.
grinner landed in Texas at 10:40 GMT, according to images from CNN and Fox News.
The exchange of the two prisoners, grinner32 years old and detained in Russia in February accused of drug trafficking, and Victor Bout55 years old and serving a 25-year sentence in a US prison, occurred at an airport in Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates).
In a Russian security video released by the TASS agency, a tall figure in a red jacket walks onto a track and a short, smiling man with a gray mustache comes out to meet him. The men in suits who accompany them greet each other on both sides and leave in the opposite direction.
In the exchange images, the athlete appears with her hair loose, without her usual long dreadlocks.
“A few moments ago I spoke with Brittney Griner. She is safe. She is on a plane. She’s on her way home.”he had said hours before Joe Biden in a brief speech at the White House, assuring that the athlete had “good morals” despite the “trauma” she suffered.
His wife, Cherelle Griner, said she was “overwhelmed with emotions.” “My family is complete,” she noted, expressing her “thank you” to the Democratic administration.
In a subsequent statement, the family grinner He asked that his privacy be respected as he embarks on the “path to healing.”
Brittney Griner is back in the United States: pic.twitter.com/1c6kALlpdg
— Philip Lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) December 9, 2022
“Relief”
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said the concern of everyone in the US women’s league “has now turned into a collective wave of joy and relief.”
“Bravo to the administration of Joe Biden for the difficult diplomatic work that was necessary to carry out to arrive” to this release, former president Barack Obama, famous for his love of basketball, tweeted.
Saudi Arabia also participated in the exchange procedure, according to a joint statement with the United Arab Emirates, which specifies that “the mediation was carried out” by the president of the Emirates, Mohammed bin Zayed, and by the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. Arabia, Mohamed bin Salman.
Biden He appreciated the participation of the Emirates, but the White House downplayed his role and that of Saudi Arabia.
“The only countries that participated in the negotiations are the United States and Russia”said his spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre.
A senior US official said the discussion with Moscow focused on the release of grinner and that Washington made it known to Ukraine and other allies.
“Major Disappointment” by Paul Whelan
Another American detained in Russia, ex-military officer Paul Whelan, was not included in the exchange. “Even if we fail to secure Paul’s release, we will never give up,” he said. Biden.
Speaking to CNN by phone from the penal colony where he is being held in Russia, Whelan said he was “very disappointed” not to be part of the exchange. “I don’t understand why I’m still here,” he said.
Arrested in December 2018 in Russia, Whelan was sentenced in 2020 to 16 years in prison for “espionage”, a sentence that the former military man denounced as unfounded.
grinnera two-time Olympic champion, was arrested in February at a Moscow airport with a vape and liquid containing cannabis, a product prohibited in Russia.
She explained that she used it to calm the pain related to her intensive basketball practice, but in August she was sentenced to nine years in prison.
After her appeal was rejected, she was transferred in November to a penal colony in Mordovia, in central Russia. For her followers, the athlete was held hostage by Moscow to negotiate with Washington.
The name of Victor Bout it began to circulate in the boreal summer.
Famous Russian arms dealer arrested in Thailand in 2008, was sentenced to 25 years in prison in the United States.
Nicknamed the “death dealer,” his life inspired the film “The Warlord,” in which Nicolas Cage stars as a cynical arms dealer.
Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov told About in a video message that he was aware that he had been subjected to “strong physical and moral pressure” in prison, according to the Russian news agency TASS.
Russian state televisions showed About smiling upon arrival in Moscow, where he was received by his family.
“They woke me up in the middle of the night and told me to collect my things. There was no clear information beforehand.” he told Rossiya 24. “I got here, that’s the most important thing,” he added.
Source: Elcomercio
I am Jack Morton and I work in 24 News Recorder. I mostly cover world news and I have also authored 24 news recorder. I find this work highly interesting and it allows me to keep up with current events happening around the world.
