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BREAKING: WNBA star Brittney Griner has been freed from Russia in a prisoner swap for an arms dealer. https://t.co/pYGmO4El8U

— NBC News (@NBCNews) December 8, 2022

WNBA star Brittney Griner released from Russian detention in prisoner swap for convicted arms dealer

WNBA star Brittney Griner has been released from Russian detention in a prisoner swap for convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, according to a source familiar

Bout, nicknamed the “Merchant of death” is a former Soviet military officer serving a 25-year prison sentence in the United States on charges of conspiring to k*ll Americans, acquire and export anti-aircraft missiles, and provide material support to a terrorist organization. Moscow had slammed his sentencing in 2012 as “baseless and biased” and Bout has maintained he is innocent.

Griner — who had for years played in the off-season for a Russian women’s basketball team, had been detained since February, when she was arrested on drug smuggling charges at an airport in the Moscow region. Despite her testimony that she had inadvertently packed the cannabis oil found in her luggage, she was sentenced to nine years in prison in early August and was moved to a penal colony in Mordovia in mid-November after losing her appeal.

The swap did not include another American that the State Department has declared wrongfully detailed, Paul Whelan.

He is a US, Irish, British and Canadian citizen — was detained at a Moscow hotel in December 2018 by Russian authorities who alleged he was involved in an intelligence operation. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison on espionage charges he has vehemently denied. Whelan had been carrying out his sentence at a labor camp in Mordovia, an eight-hour drive from Moscow, where he told CNN in June 2021 he spent his days working in a clothing factory that he called a "sweatshop."

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They did the SWAP, wow.

Looks like America lost on this deal

He gonna get out and get more arms for them

Brittany will do what for the US?

Good for her..

Shorty did more than enough time for that bullsh*t.

Pry had to make that deal cause them bi*ches she was locked wit n the guards was puttin her tall a*s thru the ringer in there..

she fu*k around woulda ended up dead ..

Regardless of where you stand on the political spectrum this was a terrible deal on multiple counts

1. Merchant of death… really?
2. Left that other dude out there when just the other day you were claiming to bring others back as well
3. So we got people in this country locked up for low level weed offenses but willing to trade international war criminals for this?

Good for her that she’s out… terrible move by the government.

Imagine having to swap a useless athlete for somebody as smart and useful as Viktor Bout... USA stays taking L's

I'll just leave this here

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DJ Maximum said Looks like America lost on this deal He gonna get out and get more arms for them Brittany will do what for the US?

They don’t care about Viktor hell Russia gave him to us. Putin just needs a win right now. How you extradite someone to us then allow them to be used in a prisoner swap. That’s hustling backwards.

I hope she comes back and lets everyone know the agenda that’s being pushed in the US doesn’t fly over seas. You can be gay and happy, and marry if you choose too, but pushing that LGBQTIA and loads of other nonsense won’t fly anywhere else. Hopefully she gives the narrative that this country is becoming soft as noodles and to ALSO respect the country that your visiting, if your privileged/earned the right to travel.

Before people coming in here saying it was a bad deal for Griner, it may not be the best deal but not because of that. They had already had Viktor Bout locked up for 15 years of his 25 year sentence. He not about to get out and resort to old business - there's people who's been done filled his spot. U.S. was probably keepin him on ice as leverage for a scenario such as this.

What's gonna be interesting is to the reaction to not being able to get Paul Whelan out as well. He been in for four years already.

Paul Whelan was a Canadian-born former United States Marine with U.S., British, and Irish citizenship accused of spying and his situation with the flash drive he claimed to not know what was on it is a little different.

Just goes to show that they held Griner on BS for the purpose of a prisoner swap and they regard Whelan's situation a little differently.

Biden been stacking up the Ws. My expectations were low but he been delivering. Not sure what his promises kept percentages is but it's feel higher than average.

Yall still watching this movie? Watch she come back and have a book, or talk show, or CNN segment, big coaching gig or something. Everyday for the past couple weeks I saw some doom and gloom headline about her unbearably horrid treatment in prison, 100% propaganda, this was always happening. Its a movie.

GremFandango said They don’t care about Viktor hell Russia gave him to us. Putin just needs a win right now. How you extradite someone to us then allow them to be used in a prisoner swap. That’s hustling backwards.

Wtf are you talking about? he was arrested in Thailand, by their police, on request by US. Stop spreading misinformation goofball

fag**ts in here already complaining we got an American back that should be a win no matter what.

wow its a lot of racist and russians in here, interesting

DJ Maximum said Looks like America lost on this deal He gonna get out and get more arms for them Brittany will do what for the US?

This guy gets it

I'm all for bringing Brittany home, but god damn Putin fleeced Biden on this deal. This makes America look really weak.

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DJ Maximum said Looks like America lost on this deal He gonna get out and get more arms for them Brittany will do what for the US?

Beat her partner

eazyvaboy said Before people coming in here saying it was a bad deal for Griner, it may not be the best deal but not because of that. They had already had Viktor Bout locked up for 15 years of his 25 year sentence. He not about to get out and resort to old business - there's people who's been done filled his spot. U.S. was probably keepin him on ice as leverage for a scenario such as this. What's gonna be interesting is to the reaction to not being able to get Paul Whelan out as well. He been in for four years already. Paul Whelan was a Canadian-born former United States Marine with U.S., British, and Irish citizenship accused of spying and his situation with the flash drive he claimed to not know what was on it is a little different. Just goes to show that they held Griner on BS for the purpose of a prisoner swap and they regard Whelan's situation a little differently.

Whealen sounds like a Agent tho

DUCEDUCE said fag**ts in here already complaining we got an American back that should be a win no matter what.

Traded her for the merchant of death

sh*t is an unbalanced trade

“The merchant of death”

Hope dude ain’t on devious/demon time

DJ Maximum said Looks like America lost on this deal He gonna get out and get more arms for them Brittany will do what for the US?

Shut up dude. You don't know what the fuks gonnna happen

castro said Wtf are you talking about? he was arrested in Thailand, by their police, on request by US. Stop spreading misinformation goofball

n*gga we remember 2010 Thailand was gone give his a*s to Russia like they wanted then Russia decided no for some concession that never got focused on back then