Russia freed WNBA star Brittney Griner on Thursday in a dramatic high-level prisoner exchange, with the U.S. releasing notorious Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, American officials said.
“She’s safe, she’s on a plane, she’s on her way home,” Biden said during a Thursday morning press conference at the White House.
“These past few months have been hell for Brittney,” Biden continued, thanking people across the country for their support during her months-long detainment.
TIMELINE: Brittney Griner's time in Russian custody, prisoner exchange
“She’s relieved to finally be heading home… she’s lost months of her life, experienced the needless trauma, and she deserves space, privacy, and time with her loved ones to recover and heal.”
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Griner’s wife Cherelle also thanked the country for the support, saying Brittney’s detainment was one of the “darkest moments of (her) life.”
She said she feels “sincere gratitude for President Biden and his entire administration” for helping get Brittney home.
“There’s so many other families who are not whole,” she continued. “BG’s not here to say this but I will gladly speak on her behalf — we will remain committed to… getting every American home, including Paul [Whelan], who is in our hearts today.”
Paul Whelan, a Michigan corporate security executive has been jailed in Russia since December 2018 on espionage charges that his family and the U.S. government have said are baseless.
President Biden says they are “not giving up” on getting Whelan home.
