Brittney Griner was subjected to a harsh sentence during her detention in Russia, a recent segment in Russian television claimed. The WNBA star recently returned home after spending ten months in exile overseas. She was sentenced to nine years in prison under drug possession and smuggling charges. The State Department finally succeeded in its efforts to secure Griner’s release on December 8. Recently, a footage from Russian TV has exposed the reality behind Brittney Griner’s detention in Russia.

Notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout, who was exchanged for Griner in a prisoner swap deal, made an appearance on Russian TV following his release. During the show, an expert revealed the true story behind the Griner fiasco and how Russia managed to free Bout using the American athlete.

The official advisor at the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs, Anton Gerashchenko, recently shared the footage of the Russian expert claiming that Brittney Griner was unfairly sentenced in Russia. The expert made a bold admission that the Kremlin used Griner’s sentence to acquire the freedom of high-profile Russian citizen Viktor Bout.

Russian TV makes huge admission about Brittney Griner

During the show, the Russian expert provided a cynical view of how the Kremlin managed to secure Bout’s release. The expert suggested that Russia managed to set up an exchange fund by sentencing Griner harshly. He argued that people in Russia used to be sentenced to three years in probation for the charges Griner had faced. At the same time, the expert also pointed out that Viktor Bout had also received an unreasonable prison term in the US.?

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Further, the expert stated, “Nine years for a cigarette. That’s never happened before!” However, the host clarified that Brittney Griner was held for carrying drugs and not cigarettes. In response, the Russian expert said, “Drugs. Nine years! People don’t get that many years even for murder!”

The US had claimed that Griner was being ‘wrongfully detained’ in Russia. But, the discussions about her detainment led to several opinions on the matter within the nation. However, as per Russian TV, the Kremlin possibly used Griner’s detention to secure Bout’s release.

Incidentally, Russian TV is heavily influenced and censored by the Russian state. Their is allegedly very little freedom of speech for independent media organizations to voice their unfiltered opinions.

Griner’s detention in Russia

Brittney Griner was reportedly charged with the possession of less than a gram of cannabis oil. She was detained at a Moscow Airport in February after vape cartridges filled with marijuana oil were found in her luggage. After months of detention, Griner was subjected to a trial in which the WNBA star plead guilty and claimed to have inadvertently carried marijuana into Russia. Eventually, the Russian judiciary sentenced her to nine years in a prison colony.

BG spent some time in the IK-2 penal facility in Mordovia before she was released as a part of the prisoner swap deal in exchange for convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.?

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As the nation welcomes Griner back, Russian TV has suggested that Russia possibly used her to get a hold of Bout.