Basketball star Brittney Griner is back on her home court today after a prisoner swap with Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, aka the "Merchant of Death." Above is video of the exchange that occurred yesterday at Abu Dhabi Airport. It was released by Russia state media. From CNN:
It is not a sign of improvements in US-Russian relations, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Friday.
Griner's arrest and conviction played out against the backdrop of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and added further attention to the plights of other Americans in Russian custody, including Paul Whelan and Trevor Reed. Whelan's release could not be secured in the latest prisoner swap, while Reed returned to the US in April after a nearly three-year ordeal.
The Biden administration will continue negotiating with Russia to secure Whelan's release, it said Friday. Russians "have things they want in this world"… a senior administration official told CNN.
I'm sure they do.
