Headline RoundupDecember 8th, 2022

Brittney Griner Released in Prisoner Swap for Arms Dealer

Summary from the AllSides News Team

WNBA star Brittney Griner is in the custody of U.S. officials after being freed in a prisoner swap between the U.S. and Russia, President Biden said Thursday.

For Context: Griner was swapped for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, who was serving a 25-year prison sentence in the U.S. for conspiring to sell weapons to a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist group. Griner had been sentenced to nine years in prison after Russian police said they found vape cartridges containing illegal cannabis oil in her luggage. She was recently transferred to a penal colony known for harsh conditions. Paul Whelan, a former U.S. marine who's been in Russian prison since 2020 after being convicted of spying, was not part of the deal. Bout

Key Quotes: "Moments ago I spoke to Brittney Griner. She is safe. She is on a plane. She is one her way home," President Joe Biden tweeted Thursday.

How the Media Covered It: The swap was the top story from news sources across the political spectrum Thursday morning. Many highlighted how Whelan was not part of the deal. Right-rated sources tended to focus more on Bout and his criminal history.

Featured Coverage of this Story

More headline roundups

AllSides Picks

More News about Russia from the Left, Center and Right

From the Left

From the Center

From the Right