Brittney Griner lands in Texas, takes first steps in U.S.

(CNN).

According to the CNN crew, an individual who gave the impression to be Griner bought off the aircraft simply after 5:30 a.m. ET on Friday at Kelly Field in San Antonio, Texas.

Her launch was secured following a US-Russia prisoner swap involving worldwide arms vendor Viktor Bout, who was arrested in Thailand in 2008 and extradited to the US in 2010.

LIVE UPDATES: BRITTNEY GRINERS RELEASE, RUSSIA’S WAR IN UKRAINE

The change passed off in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, in response to senior officers in the Biden administration. A joint assertion by the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia stated the Gulf states performed a task in brokering exchanges between the US and Russia.

Griner’s arrest and conviction got here towards the backdrop of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and drew consideration to the plight of different Americans in Russian custody, together with Paul Whelan and Trevor Reed. Whelan’s launch was not secured on the final prisoner swap, whereas Reed returned to the US in April after almost three years of ordeal.

President Joe Biden stated the trouble to deliver Griner house had been “arduous and intense negotiations” as he thanked the members of his administration who have been concerned.

“This is a day now we have been working in direction of for a very long time. We have by no means stopped pushing for his or her launch,” he stated.

The closing deal itself took place in the final 48 hours, officers stated, starting the method of shifting Griner out of the penal colony the place she was serving a prolonged sentence.

Biden final week gave closing approval for the prisoner swap to free Griner, an official accustomed to the matter stated.

Bout has returned to Russia, the Russian Foreign Ministry stated on Thursday. The prisoner change with Griner was “successfully completed at Abu Dhabi Airport on Thursday,” the ministry stated.

Griner’s household thanked Biden and his administration in a press release Thursday, in addition to former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, whose Richardson Center labored on behalf of the household to safe Griner’s launch. They additionally expressed their gratitude for the nice public help the household has obtained.

“We sincerely thank you all for the kind words, thoughts and prayers – including Paul and the Whelan family, who have been so generous in supporting Brittney and our family at what we know has been a heartbreaking time,” the assertion learn.

“We pray for Paul and for the speedy and safe return of all wrongfully imprisoned Americans.”

Russia wouldn’t negotiate Whelan’s return, says a US official

While Griner’s protected return was heralded as a diplomatic achievement by some, officers and supporters alike have expressed disappointment that Whelan was unable to return house.

Whelan, a US, Irish, British and Canadian nationwide, was arrested at a Moscow resort in December 2018 by Russian authorities who claimed he was concerned in an intelligence operation. He was sentenced to 16 years in jail on espionage costs, which he vehemently denies. The US State Department wrongly declared him incarcerated.

The Russians not too long ago signaled they have been solely prepared to barter for Griner and never Whelan, a US official stated, as a result of Russia stated it dealt with their instances in another way relying on what they have been accused of.

The Biden administration made repeated gives to launch Whelan as a part of that deal, even after Russia clarified that solely Griner was acceptable.

In the top, when it was clear that Russia would reject Whelan, the US needed to settle for it.

“It was a decision, get Brittney or nothing,” the US official stated, including it was a “difficult decision” for Biden, but in addition one he felt he wanted to make.

Biden acknowledged that Griner’s launch got here whereas Whelan remained incarcerated, saying that Whelan’s household “must have such mixed feelings today.”

“It wasn’t a choice of which American we’re bringing home,” Biden stated. “Unfortunately, Russia is treating Paul’s case in another way than Brittney’s for fully illegitimate causes. And whereas now we have not but succeeded in securing Paul’s launch, we aren’t giving up. We won’t ever hand over.”

In a statement, Griner’s family said: “We sincerely thanks all for the type phrases, ideas and prayers – together with Paul and the Whelan household who’ve been so beneficiant in supporting Brittney and our household at what we all know has been a heartbreaking time.

“We pray for Paul and for the speedy and safe return of all wrongfully imprisoned Americans.”

The Whelan household worries about what lies forward

Whelan informed CNN in an unique cellphone name from the penal colony the place he’s being held in a distant a part of Russia that he was “disappointed” that the Biden administration didn’t do extra to safe his launch. Whelan stated he was glad Griner was launched, however that he was “made to believe that things were going in the right direction and that governments were negotiating and that something was going to happen pretty soon.”

“I don’t understand why I’m still sitting here,” he stated.

Whelan had been serving his sentence at a labor camp in Mordovia, an eight-hour drive from Moscow, the place he informed CNN in June 2021 he spent his days working at a clothes manufacturing unit he dubbed a “sweat shop.”

The Biden administration has concepts about “new forms of bids” they’ll attempt with the Russians to safe Whelan’s launch, a senior administration official informed CNN on Thursday.

The official stated there was a recognition that the US wanted to offer “something more, something different” than what it had beforehand provided the Russians – and didn’t rule out providing a Russian spy in US custody to a possible captive To deceive.

“There is a willingness with this president to pay a very high price himself,” the official stated. “We made it clear to the Russians that we are at least open to talking about what is available to us, what we could actually deliver. It would be someone in our care.”

Former Gov. Richardson stated he hopes Whelan will return house by the top of the 12 months.

“We’ve been trying to get my foundation, Whelan, out for four years and somehow it always falls short. …Possibly because of the espionage allegations, because he’s a Marine, he’s being unjustly detained, the Russians are detaining him all the way. And it happened again, but that doesn’t mean there’s no way we can get him out. I think we can,” Richardson informed CNN’s Wolf Blitzer.

Whelan’s household expressed happiness on the information that Griner is on his method house, however stated Thursday they have been “devastated” that he was left behind.

“It’s a great day for the families of those wrongly imprisoned and we feel wonderful for them,” stated David Whelan, Paul’s brother, on CNN This Morning. “But we’re apprehensive about Paul’s future. I feel it has develop into clear that the US is not going to make any concessions that the Russian authorities needs for Paul. So I’m not likely positive what the long run holds.”

The Biden administration notified Whelan’s household previous to the Griner announcement, David Whelan stated.