Brittney Griner is coming home. The United States and Russia agreed to a one-for-one prisoner swap which will see Russia release Griner into U.S. custody while the “Merchant of Death” will be granted his return to Russia. Paul Whelan, the former U.S. Marine who is also being held in Russia, was not included in the prisoner swap deal. Via CNN's Jennifer Hansler, who spoke to Whelan from the Russian penal colony where he's currently located, revealed the 52-year-old had expressed disappointment and confusion as to why he wasn't brought home.
“I am greatly disappointed more has not been done to secure my release, especially as the 4-year anniversary of my arrest is coming up. I was arrested for a crime that never occurred. I don't understand why I'm still here,” Whelan told Hansler.
There had been much speculation that the U.S. could include Whelan in a potential 2-for-1 or even 2-for-2 prisoner swap exchange that would see him return home alongside Griner. According to reports, Russia was not interested in that exchange, willing only to release Griner in a swap for the Merchant of Death, Viktor Bout.
Paul Whelan is a former United States Marine who was arrested in Russia back in 2018 and handed a 16-year prison sentence after being accused of espionage. This isn't the first time he was left out of a prisoner exchange between the two nations. In 2019, Trevor Reed, a fellow former marine, was returned to the United States in a prisoner swap with Russia. That incident again had Whelan wondering why he wasn't included.
Now, the U.S. has secured the release of the WNBA player after her arrest at an airport near Moscow, where Griner was found to have marijuana vape cartridges in her baggage. Whelan, still in a Russian penal colony, expressed his disappointment that he won't be heading home.
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