Brittney Griner is officially freed from Russian detention. The news broke Thursday morning that Griner is in United States custody after getting swapped for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. U.S. President Joe Biden took to Twitter with a message about Griner's release, saying he just spoke with the Phoenix Mercury star and that she's on her way home. Griner's wife Cherelle was in the Oval Office with Biden when it happened.

This is huge news after a long saga that began when Griner was arrested in a Russian airport back in February for possessing vape canisters with cannabis oil in her luggage. She went on trial and was sentenced to nine years in prison, and she was being kept in a Russian penal colony renowned for bad conditions. There was plenty of public outcry in the United States about her sentence, with fellow WNBA stars, NBA stars and many others (including Vin Diesel) pushing for her release.

The Brittney Griner-Viktor Bout prisoner swap took place in the United Arab Emirates with the blessing of Joe Biden, according to NBC News. Griner will be flown to San Antonio and receive care. Cherelle will meet her in San Antonio.

Biden gave more remarks on Griner's release Thursday morning:

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There was hope that the United States would also be able to secure the release of Paul Whelan, an American corporate security executive who remains jailed in Russia. While Whelan wasn't freed as part of this prisoner swap, Biden stated that the United States will “never give up” trying to get him freed as well, per Zeke Miller of The Associated Press.

Bout had served 11 years of a 25-year prison sentence in the U.S. before being part of this prisoner swap. Russian President Vladimir Putin had been trying to get him back for a long time, and this is one of the most high-profile prisoner between these two countries since the Cold War.