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: Political Prisoners
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.
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.
Don Luce, Activist Who Helped End the Vietnam War, Dies at 88
His relentless campaigning and his exposure of South Vietnam’s “tiger cages” were instrumental in turning the American public and Congress against the war.
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.
Paul Whelan, an American Imprisoned in Russia, Is Hospitalized
His family and the Biden administration are worried about his transfer to a prison hospital.
Navalny Team Uses Youtube From Exile to Lift Anti-War Effort
The political network of Aleksei A. Navalny, the imprisoned opposition leader, had seemingly been crushed. But working from abroad, the Navalny team is using YouTube to spearhead antiwar efforts.