Brittney Griner Released From Russian Custody

WNBA star Brittney Griner is coming home!

President Joe Biden agreed to a prisoner swap in which Griner will be coming home in exchange for a Russian arms dealer, Viktor Bout who had served 11 years of a 25-year jail sentence in America.

The exchange took place at the United Arab Emirates according to NBC News.

Biden and Griner's wife Cherelle Griner made comments from the Oval Office soon after her release to share some details on the release.

"I'm proud that today we have made one more family whole," he said. "We’ll keep negotiating for Paul’s relief. I guarantee it." American corporate security executive Paul Whelan has been in jail in Russia since December 2018 on espionage charges that the United States calls "baseless".

Brittney Griner was arrested in February after Russian authorities found vapes cartridges with cannabis oil. She had plead guilty in July and was sentenced to 9-years at a Russian Penal Colony on August 11.

Her wife Cherelle addressed her gratitude in bringing the WNBA star home.

She said she was “overwhelmed with emotions, but the most important emotion that I have is just sincere gratitude for President Biden and his entire administration.” Griner also added that the family will continue to help on bringing other United States wrongfully imprisoned at other countries home. "It’s just a happy day for me and my family so I’m going to smile right now,” she said.

Following the prisoner swap at UAB, Griner will be flown to San Antonio to receive care at a medical facility, where she will then reunite with her family.

Cherelle Griner, speaking after Biden, expressed her "sincere gratitude" to Biden and several other officials she mentioned by name for their work.

Griner will be flown to a medical facility in San Antonio where she will receive care, a senior administration official said.