Ms. Griner has been at the center of a fraught geopolitical showdown between Washington and Moscow. The Biden administration traded her for Viktor Bout, a notorious Russian arms dealer known as the “Merchant of Death.”
Tag: Griner, Brittney
Brittney Griner Will Land at an Army Hospital in San Antonio
The hospital treats both civilians and military personnel who have survived torture or other trauma.
Brittney Griner Is Freed as Part of a Prisoner Swap With Russia
Ms. Griner has been at the center of a fraught geopolitical showdown between Washington and Moscow. The Biden administration traded her for Viktor Bout, a notorious Russian arms dealer.
News Analysis: In Brittney Griner Deal, Putin Used Pain, a Familiar Lever
By seizing the basketball star, the Russian president made things so painful for the U.S. that it capitulated and turned over a convicted arms dealer. Can the same tactic work in the war in Ukraine?
Russian State Media Releases Video of Brittney Griner and Viktor Bout Swap
The images, verified by The New York Times, show Ms. Griner being traded for the arms dealer Viktor Bout on the tarmac at Al Bateen Executive Airport in Abu Dhabi.
More Americans Are Being ‘Wrongfully Detained’ and Held Abroad
A State Department official said over the summer that there were between 40 and 50 Americans being wrongfully detained by foreign governments.
Who Is Viktor Bout, Arms Dealer in Swap for Brittney Griner?
Viktor Bout has been accused of supplying arms to Al Qaeda, the Taliban and rebels in Rwanda. His exploits helped inspire a 2005 film, “Lord of War,” that starred Nicolas Cage.
Brittney Griner’s Release Puts a Spotlight on Paul Whelan
Paul Whelan, a corporate security executive, was arrested at a Moscow hotel in December 2018. President Biden says his administration is still working on getting him released.
Paul Whelan, American Prisoner in Russia, Contacts Family After Weeks of Silence
Mr. Whelan is serving a 16-year sentence in Russia on espionage charges that the United States calls politically motivated.
Russia Raises Hopes for Griner’s Release, but U.S. Says It’s Just Talk
The State Department says Russia refuses to negotiate seriously to free the basketball star Brittney Griner, who was sent to a penal colony with a nine-year sentence on a cannabis charge.