US frees basketball player Griner from Russian prison, handing over Russian arms dealer Bout to Kremlin

US President Joe Biden announced this. 

“This is a day we've been working towards for a long time, and we've never stopped pushing for her release,” he said during a morning speech at the White House.

According to Biden, Griner is now safe and returning home on a plane from the United Arab Emirates.

“I'm happy to say that Brittney is in good spirits ... she needs time and space to recover,” the US president said.

The Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed the exchange. It was noted there that it took place at the Abu Dhabi airport. Currently, Viktor But is being taken to the Russian Vnukovo airport.

The Biden administration proposed the exchange back in July of last year. The US knew that Russia had been trying to release the arms dealer Viktor Bout for a long time. To this day, there were "thorough negotiations" with the Russians regarding the release of Griner. During them, the US presidential administration also emphasized that it wants to release former marine Paul Whelan, who was accused by Russia of espionage.

“Although we have not yet succeeded in obtaining Paul's release, we have not given up; we will not give up,” Biden said.

He also warned Americans to be careful when traveling abroad. This is due to the fact that there is a risk of being wrongfully detained by a foreign government.

For reference: Viktor Bout is a Russian arms dealer, known as the Merchant of Death. In 2010, he was extradited to Thailand after a special operation by the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) two years earlier. In the same 2010, Thailand extradited Bout to the United States, after which a trial began. The criminal was sentenced to 25 years in prison and given a fine of USD 15 million. 

Brittney Griner is an American professional basketball player, a WNBA star.

• On August 4, Brittney Griner in Russia was sentenced to 9 years in prison and given a fine of RUB 1 million. 

• On November 9, it became known that Griner was transferred from the pre-trial detention center to the colony.