BRITTNEY GRINER, A BASKETBALL PLAYER FOR THE UNITED STATES, IS RELEASED BY RUSSIA IN EXCHANGE FOR ARMS DEALER VIKTOR BOUT

President Joe Biden said on Thursday that US basketball star Brittney Griner had been freed in a prisoner swap with Russia and was now in US custody.

“She’s secure. She’s in the air. She is traveling home “In a tweet, Biden stated.

According to a US official, Griner and Griner’s wife, Cherelle, spoke via phone from the Oval Office with Vice President Kamala Harris and Biden.

At 13:30 GMT, Biden was scheduled to speak, according to the White House.

On Thursday, Moscow officially announced that it had traded US basketball player Brittney Griner, who had been imprisoned in Russia, for infamous arms dealer Victor Bout, who was presently serving a 25-year term in the US.

The swap of Russian citizen Viktor Bout for American citizen Brittney Griner “was successfully conducted on December 8, 2022 at the Abu Dhabi airport,” according to a statement from the foreign ministry.

AFP provided further reporting.