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Kremlin says Griner prisoner swap must be discussed without publicity

18 Comments
By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV

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In Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov made the same point more harshly, saying “the U.S. already has made mistakes, trying to solve such problems via ‘microphone diplomacy.’ They are not solved that way.”

...Peskov said into the microphone.

9 ( +11 / -2 )

So this woman broke Russian laws by bringing drugs into the country and was convicted and sentenced as per Russian law. Why would the US make a deal and release a dangerous arms smuggler in exchange for her release? Seems that if you have money/celebrity there are a different set of rules. Bad precedent in my opinion.

9 ( +11 / -2 )

Why would the US make a deal and release a dangerous arms smuggler in exchange for her release? Seems that if you have money/celebrity there are a different set of rules. Bad precedent in my opinion.

There’s definitely more to this. She was wrong for being overly confident and stupid for sure, but let’s not kid ourselves, The Russians could care less about this woman or what she did. She just happened to be at the wrong place at the right time, she’s a bargaining chip for something much bigger pure and simple.

5 ( +10 / -5 )

I am hopping that the U.S. and Russia will resolve this issue asap so this star can be freed before she deteriorates, what they found in her bags is Legal in the many parts of USA, she is NOT a dealer nor she intended to harm anyone, it was prescribed for her medical treatment that's all.

-3 ( +4 / -7 )

If it hadn't been Griner, it would have been some other poor American caught up in Putin's revenge scams...

With American Javelins blowing up his tanks and HIMARS missiles taking out his ammo dumps, bridges, and command centers, he had to do something to show his displeasure...

Am sure she'll be released at some point...but it does nothing to deflect from the fact that Putin hugely miscalculated and is losing badly in his goal of conquering Ukraine...

3 ( +8 / -5 )

Russian government’s use of wrongful detentions to advance its own agenda using individuals as political pawns,

The 'individual' has rarely mattered in authoritarian states, those supporting authoritarianism must want to cede their very existence to the state, they must want big brother to control their lives for them. No wonder so many talented individuals from Russia/ China and other nations run by dictators and their respective regimes have moved to other countries.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

Why not? Maybe it’s because the Russians want to hide the fact that they’re so excited about freeing murderers.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

In some countries (allies of USA), that sort of crime would bring you life or even execution. But this time, it just so happens it's not an ally of USA. Apparently Saudi Arabia is the land of milk and honey, according to Biden and Truss.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

My guess is, the pro sports and international publicity attempt is only the clever camouflage of that obviously excessively tattooed drug addicted and dealing person. I’m for that prisoner exchange, if she really wants it, because nine years in a Russian prison might be or maybe not even harder than at a US facility, that should be her choice, but granted only under the condition that she then similarly sits the full nine years or the average US jurisdiction timespan for such crime in her home country.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

Why would the US make a deal and release a dangerous arms smuggler in exchange for her release?

The CIA want their spy back.

“It puts a spotlight on our very significant concern with Russia’s legal system and the Russian government’s use of wrongful detentions to advance its own agenda using individuals as political pawns,” he said.

Imagine any US government official saying this with a straight face. It's almost comical.

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

We know she hates the US national anthem, so it will be hell for her to have to listen to the Russian anthem in the Big House-ski.

She won't understand the words, it's long and not half as funky as the Star Spangled Banner.

Bummer.

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

MarkToday  08:53 am JST

I am hopping that the U.S. and Russia will resolve this issue asap so this star can be freed before she deteriorates, what they found in her bags is Legal in the many parts of USA, she is NOT a dealer nor she intended to harm anyone, it was prescribed for her medical treatment that's all.

Not true. She didn't have a prescription. The FDA hasn't approved medical marijuana so doctors can't prescribe it. All they can do is recommend it which isn't the same at all. It's irrelevant if it's legal in the US or that she's not a dealer. It's Russia where possession in even small amounts is illegal. Don't why people keep using these excuses. Is she a star? I guess in the WNBA which without $$$$ from the NBA would've gone bankrupt a long time ago. Naw...she's not a star.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Pukey2Today  11:03 am JST

*In some countries (allies of USA), that sort of crime would bring you life or even execution. But this time, it just so happens it's not an ally of USA. *Apparently Saudi Arabia is the land of milk and honey, according to Biden and Truss.

Every US president and administration in the last 50 years has treated Saudi Arabia with kid gloves cause of their oil and desire to buy weapons. 15 of the 19 9/11 hijackers were from Saudi Arabia. Did republican president Bush do anything about it? Biden actually called-out Saudi for the murder of Kashoggi. Trump chickened out.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Don’t swap her, paying Danegeld merely encourages the blackmailer. It’s not as if she didn’t commit the crime and admit to it and it was not her first visit to russia, she was well aware of their laws in respect of drugs.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

MilesTag:

Biden actually called-out Saudi for the murder of Kashoggi.

And then he went begging to SA for oil. Got nothing. Not even a welcome at the airport by someone of significance. And that fist-bump.

Embarrassing.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Let's get Paul Whelan out first.

He will stand for the National Anthem.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Pukey2Today  09:04 pm JST

MilesTag:

Biden actually called-out Saudi for the murder of Kashoggi.

And then he went begging to SA for oil. Got nothing. Not even a welcome at the airport by someone of significance. And that fist-bump.

Embarrassing.

This is in no way more embarrassing than the US not responding at all to the fact that almost all the 9/11 hijackers were Saudi Arabian and letting the Bin Laden family leave.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

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