Russia's FSB opens espionage case against American
MOSCOW — (AP) — Russia's Federal Security Service said Thursday it has initiated an espionage case against a U.S. citizen, but did not name the person or specify whether they were in custody. “Generally, the Russian Federation does not abide by its obligations to provide timely notification of the detention of U.S. citizens in Russia," Patel said. "Russian authorities also don’t regularly inform the embassy of the trials, sentencing or movement of U.S. citizens. We’re looking into this matter and will continue to monitor it.”The charge carries a potential prison term of 10-20 years. Paul Whelan, a Michigan corporate security executive, has been jailed in Russia for four years on espionage charges that his family and the United States government have said are baseless.
wftv.comUS marks anniversary of Paul Whelan's detention in Russia
WASHINGTON — (AP) — The Biden administration is marking the four-year anniversary of the detention in Russia of American businessman Paul Whelan, whose continued imprisonment is one of several major irritants in tattered relations between Washington and Moscow. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement Wednesday that securing Whelan's release remains a top administration priority. The administration considers Whelan, like Griner, to have been wrongfully detained. “His detention remains unacceptable, and we continue to press for his immediate release at every opportunity,” Blinken said. U.S. officials said Russia refused to consider including Whelan in the Griner deal, calling it a “one or none” decision.
wftv.com‘Because of you I never lost hope’: Brittney Griner pens heartfelt letter to fans
>> Read more trending newsIn the letter, posted to Griner’s Instagram account, Griner offered her thanks to those who fought for months for her to be released from Russian custody. “Thanks to the efforts of many, including you, I am home after nearly 10 months. After months of negotiations, President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to a prisoner exchange of Brittany Griner for convicted firearms dealer Viktor Bout, The Associated Press reported. The prisoner exchange did not include former marine Paul Whelan, who has been held in Russia since 2018. In her letter, Griner encouraged her fans to support Whelan, saying, “My family’s whole and now, thanks to you, we are fortunate to get to spend the holidays together.
wftv.comWhy Russia wants to trade a convicted assassin, Vadim Krasikov, in prisoner swaps
Just before midday on Aug. 23, 2019, Zelimkhan “Tornike” Khangoshvili headed to a local mosque through Kleiner Tiergarten, a park in central Berlin, to attend Friday prayers. He never made it. A Georgian national of ethnic Chechen descent, Khangoshvili was fatally shot three times, once in the shoulder, twice in the head.
news.yahoo.comWhy Russia wants to trade the convicted assassin Vadim Krasikov in prisoner swaps
Just before midday on Aug. 23, 2019, Zelimkhan “Tornike” Khangoshvili headed to a local mosque through Kleiner Tiergarten, a park in central Berlin, to attend Friday prayers. He never made it. A Georgian national of ethnic Chechen descent, Khangoshvili was fatally shot three times, once in the shoulder, twice in the head.
news.yahoo.comTrump says he turned down deal to release Paul Whelan
Former President Trump on Sunday said he turned down a deal to release former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, who’s been detained by Moscow since 2018, in exchange for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout during his time in the White House. “I turned down a deal with Russia for a one on one swap of the…
news.yahoo.com'I want to talk': Griner opened up during her long trip home
WASHINGTON — (AP) — WNBA star Brittney Griner didn't want any alone time as soon as she boarded a U.S. government plane that would bring her home. I want to talk,” Griner said, according to Roger Carstens, the special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, who helped secure the basketball star’s release and bring her back to the U.S. last week. “It was really amazing.”Ultimately, Griner spent about 12 hours of an 18-hour flight talking with others on the plane, Carstens said. The U.S. State Department declared Griner to be “wrongfully detained” — a charge that Russia has sharply rejected. But the U.S. was unable to secure the freedom of Paul Whelan, who has been held in Russia for nearly four years.
wftv.comPaul Whelan’s brother slams Trump after prisoner swap criticism
The brother of former Marine Paul Whelan, who has been imprisoned in Russia for nearly four years, slammed former President Trump on Friday after Trump criticized the Biden administration for the deal it struck to free WNBA star Brittney Griner but not Whelan. David Whelan said in a post on Twitter that Trump seems to…
news.yahoo.comPutin says more US-Russian prisoner exchanges are possible
MOSCOW — (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday that more U.S.-Russian prisoner exchanges are possible if Moscow and Washington find a compromise. Putin spoke a day after Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout was swapped for WNBA star and two-time Olympian Brittney Griner. Asked after a summit in Kyrgyzstan whether other prisoners could be swapped, Putin replied that “everything is possible,” noting that “compromises have been found” that cleared the way for Thursday’s exchange of Griner for Bout. “We aren’t refusing to continue this work in the future,” the Russian leader said, making his first comments about the closely watched trade. US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said: “We registered what Mr. Putin said, let’s see what he actually does.”Putin said the U.S.-Russia talks that resulted in Thursday’s exchange didn’t touch on other subjects.
wftv.comRussia's Putin says more US prisoner exchanges are possible
MOSCOW — (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday that more U.S.-Russian prisoner exchanges are possible if Moscow and Washington find a compromise. Putin spoke a day after Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout was swapped for WNBA star and two-time Olympian Brittney Griner. Asked after a summit in Kyrgyzstan whether other prisoners could be swapped, Putin replied that “everything is possible,” noting that “compromises have been found” that cleared the way for Thursday’s exchange of Griner for Bout. “We aren’t refusing to continue this work in the future,” the Russian leader said, making his first comments about the closely watched trade. Putin said the U.S.-Russia talks that resulted in Thursday’s exchange didn’t touch on other subjects.
wftv.comWhy wasn't Russia willing to give up Paul Whelan in Brittney Griner exchange? To 'inflict maximum pain on the Biden administration,' expert says
For months, the Biden administration has tried in vain to push Russia to release two Americans who the U.S. considers to be wrongfully detained. Meanwhile, Retired Marine Paul Whelan remained inside a Russian penal colony, where he is serving a 16-year sentence for espionage charges that both he and the State Department say are baseless. Former State Department foreign services officer David Salvo told Yahoo Sports that Russia had two main objectives during prisoner exchange negotiations: To bring Bout home and to "inflict maximum pain on the Biden administration." Paul Whelan, a Michigan corporate security executive, was arrested in Moscow four years ago after allegedly receiving a USB drive with classified material from a Russian citizen. “I think this was Paul Whelan’s best chance to get home.”
wftv.comRussian arms dealer swapped for WNBA star Griner blasts West
MOSCOW — (AP) — Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, who returned to his homeland after 14 years in a U.S. prison as part of a swap for WNBA star Brittney Griner, said the West is bent on destroying Russia. Bout, dubbed the “Merchant of Death” who provided arms for some of the world’s worst conflicts, was seen in Russia as unjustly imprisoned after an overly aggressive U.S. sting operation. “The West believes that it has failed to finish us off when the Soviet Union began to collapse,” Bout said. “It has no impact on the overall state of bilateral ties that looks sad," Peskov said in televised remarks. Still, they said they believe communication channels with the Russians remain open for negotiations about his freedom.
wftv.comLeBron James on return of Brittney Griner: 'It's a great day'
Britney Griner is a free woman after 294 days behind bars in Russia, to the relief of just about everyone in the basketball world. To have her a part of the basketball brother and sisterhood, it's a big day for us and what we do. Most notable among those Americans detained is Paul Whelan, who has been imprisoned in Russia for nearly four years. Even when offered a straight Whelan-for-Bout exchange, Russia reportedly balked at negotiating. My comments on “The Shop” regarding Brittney Griner wasn’t knocking our beautiful country.
wftv.comGriner freed: WNBA star swapped for Russian, heads home
WASHINGTON — (AP) — Russia freed WNBA star Brittney Griner on Thursday in a high-profile prisoner exchange as the U.S. released notorious Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. Griner, who also played pro basketball in Russia, was arrested at an airport there after Russian authorities said she was carrying vape canisters with cannabis oil. Russian media showed Griner walking off a Russian plane in Abu Dhabi where she was greeted by a U.S. official. Biden spoke by phone with Griner, and she was expected back in the U.S. within 24 hours, Biden said. “We’ve not forgotten about Paul Whelan,” Biden said.
wftv.comGriner swap wasn't what US hoped for, but what it could get
On Thursday, Bout and Griner began their journeys home after a dramatic one-for-one swap. A Russian official said last week a deal was possible by the end of the year. Cherelle Griner was invited to the White House for a meeting with national security adviser Jake Sullivan, and she was with Biden Thursday morning when he was notified Griner was secure. Brittney Griner was put through to the Oval Office and Biden said, “It’s Joe Biden. Arriving there, too, was Bout, who was not presented with his official clemency paperwork until U.S. officials knew Griner was also present.
wftv.comPaul Whelan 'greatly disappointed' Biden administration has not done more to free him
The detained American told CNN he is happy that the White House was able to secure Brittney Griner’s release from Russia in a prisoner swap but is "greatly disappointed" that it hasn't been able to secure his.
news.yahoo.comVenezuela swaps 7 jailed Americans for Maduro relatives
Venezuela’s government has freed seven Americans imprisoned in the South American country in exchange for the release of two nephews of President Nicolás Maduro’s wife who had been jailed for years by the United States on drug smuggling convictions.
Veteran emissary Richardson hopeful for Griner, Whelan swap
Bill Richardson, the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and a frequent emissary in hostage negotiations, says he's hopeful about the chances of a two-for-two prisoner swap that could result in the release of WNBA star Brittney Griner and another jailed American, Paul Whelan.
WNBA's Griner tells drug trial: 'My career is my whole life'
WNBA star Brittney Griner testified at her drug possession trial in Russia that an interpreter translated only a fraction of what was said during questioning when she was detained at Moscow’s airport in February and officials told her to sign documents without giving an explanation.
WNBA's Griner gets support at trial from character witnesses
The drug possession trial of WNBA star Brittney Griner has resumed, with the head of the Russian club she plays for in the offseason and a teammate from that squad testifying in support of her character and what she has meant for women’s basketball in the country.
White House: Biden has read Griner letter pleading for help
Brittney Griner’s appeal to President Joe Biden in a handwritten letter continued to garner reaction Tuesday after the WNBA All-Star acknowledged she feared never returning home and asked Biden not “forget about me and the other American Detainees.”.