The US basketball star Brittney Griner was released from Russian jail on December 8 in a prisoner swap for notorious arms dealer Victor Bout, known as the “merchant of death” who was serving a 25 sentence in US prison for arms trafficking. The two prisoners were exchanged in Abu Dhabi airport before flying home and both received full pardons. Another American, Paul Whelan, remains in Russian prison on espionage charges and was not included in the deal. The elaborate swap involved two private planes bringing the pair to Abu Dhabi airport from Moscow and Washington, and then flying them home. Fo…
