[TheWildJacko]

A couple of weeks ago, when Stanford WBB played South Carolina in a nationally televised game, the coaches wore sweatshirts in support of Brittany Griner, and the players' uniforms had a patch in support.

I haven't heard anything of substance recently about the efforts (which I'm sure are happening) to try to get her released. (Last I heard, there was a second prisoner we wanted out, and there was at least one person Russia wanted.)  I imagine/hope that someday we'll hear that a swap was made the day before, with no prior public knowledge.

I can imagine that it is very politically sensitive internationally because other countries might suspect the US secretly agreed to something related to the Russian invasion in order to get Griner released.   I can see that the US might prefer to see the war get to a stable state (Russian withdrawal, or a stalemate) before giving up something to get her out.

If someone has heard anything recently, can you point me at it?

Just posted about this in the (old) Brittney Griner thread, but she's been released and is on her way home as of this morning. Prisoner swap for arms dealer Viktor Bout. They weren't able to include the other prisoner, in the deal, but not for lack of trying. Whelan's brother released a statement saying that the Biden administration made the right call (from KKTV/com):

“As the family member of a Russian hostage, I can literally only imagine the joy she will have, being reunited with her loved ones, and in time for the holidays,” David Whelan, Paul’s brother, said in a statement. “There is no greater success than for a wrongful detainee to be freed and for them to go home. The Biden Administration made the right decision to bring Ms. Griner home, and to make the deal that was possible, rather than waiting for one that wasn’t going to happen.”

[TheWildJacko]

A couple of weeks ago, when Stanford WBB played South Carolina in a nationally televised game, the coaches wore sweatshirts in support of Brittany Griner, and the players' uniforms had a patch in support.

I haven't heard anything of substance recently about the efforts (which I'm sure are happening) to try to get her released. (Last I heard, there was a second prisoner we wanted out, and there was at least one person Russia wanted.)  I imagine/hope that someday we'll hear that a swap was made the day before, with no prior public knowledge.

I can imagine that it is very politically sensitive internationally because other countries might suspect the US secretly agreed to something related to the Russian invasion in order to get Griner released.   I can see that the US might prefer to see the war get to a stable state (Russian withdrawal, or a stalemate) before giving up something to get her out.

If someone has heard anything recently, can you point me at it?

Just posted about this in the (old) Brittney Griner thread, but she's been released and is on her way home as of this morning. Prisoner swap for arms dealer Viktor Bout. They weren't able to include the other prisoner, in the deal, but not for lack of trying. Whelan's brother released a statement saying that the Biden administration made the right call (from KKTV/com):

“As the family member of a Russian hostage, I can literally only imagine the joy she will have, being reunited with her loved ones, and in time for the holidays,” David Whelan, Paul’s brother, said in a statement. “There is no greater success than for a wrongful detainee to be freed and for them to go home. The Biden Administration made the right decision to bring Ms. Griner home, and to make the deal that was possible, rather than waiting for one that wasn’t going to happen.”