Update: Video Shows Moment Brittney Griner Was Swapped for Arms Dealer Viktor Bout

The nearly yearlong quest to bring Brittney Griner back to the United States concluded Thursday morning when it was confirmed that the U.S. brokered a deal with Russia to bring the WNBA star home in exchange for notorious Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.

 

While President Joe Biden announced during a press conference that Griner was on her way back, new video footage documents her journey home.

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New video footage shows Griner in a red coat walking with several individuals before she crosses paths with Bout on an airport tarmac. While men escorting the prisoners are seen shaking hands with each other, the footage cuts before viewers can see if Griner and Bout interacted.

 

Additional footage shows Griner in good spirits as she says she’s “good” and “happy” during a conversation with someone on the plane. Griner is also seen without her signature locks, sporting a shorter hairstyle.

 

Brittney Griner had been detained in Russia since February and was sentenced to nine years in August. Viktor Bout, on the other hand, was serving a 25-year sentence in the U.S. prior to Thursday’s swap.

 

Look above to view the footage.

Source CNN:

https://www.cnn.com/europe/live-news/russia-ukraine-war-news-12-08-22/index.html