U.S. President Joe Biden announced the release of Brittney Griner on Thursday, saying the WNBA star was returning home after months of detention in Russia. He said Greiner was "in good spirits."
Greiner's release was part of a prisoner swap with convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, according to people familiar with the matter.
Greener has been in custody since February, when she was arrested at an airport in the Moscow region for drug smuggling.
She was sentenced to nine years in prison in early August despite her testimony that she accidentally packed cannabis oil found in her luggage.
Thursday's exchange did not include Paul Whelan, another American whom the State Department wrongly announced was in custody
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