Update 12/08/2022 4:19pm:
The nearly yearlong quest to bring Brittney Griner back to the United States concluded Thursday morning when it was confirmed that the U.S. brokered a deal with Russia to bring the WNBA star home in exchange for notorious Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. While President Joe Biden announced during a press conference that Griner was on her way back, new video footage documents her journey home.
New video footage shows Griner in a red coat walking with several individuals before she crosses paths with Bout on an airport tarmac. While men escorting the prisoners are seen shaking hands with each other, the footage cuts before viewers can see if Griner and Bout interacted.
Additional footage shows Griner in good spirits as she says she's "good" and "happy" during a conversation with someone on the plane. Griner is also seen without her signature locks, sporting a shorter hairstyle.
Brittney Griner had been detained in Russia since February and was sentenced to nine years in August. Viktor Bout, on the other hand, was serving a 25-year sentence in the U.S. prior to Thursday's swap.
Look above to view the footage.
Original 12/08/2022 12:37pm:
WNBA star Brittney Griner has been released from Russian detention ten months after she was arrested for vape cartridges containing cannabis oil. Her release comes after the United States agreed to release notorious Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout a.k.a. the "Merchant of Death."
"She is safe, she is on a plane, she is on her way home," President Joe Biden announced at a White House press conference Thursday morning. "She will soon be back in the arms of her loved ones, and she should have been there all along."
Brittney's wife, Cherelle Griner, was also present at the press conference. Cherelle expressed her gratitude to everyone that was involved in securing Brittney's release and stated, "Today, my family is whole."
Prior to her release, Brittney Griner was serving a nine-year sentence after pleading guilty to her charges in July. Viktor Bout, who is believed to have been the inspiration behind the Nicolas Cage film Lord of War, was serving a 25-year sentence on terrorism charges.
Source: CNN
