The release of WNBA star Brittney Griner from a Moscow-area prison is a priority of President Joe Biden, but it’s not a priority issue for Moscow, an aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin said Sunday.
“In this tense situation, I think that he (Biden) is thinking first and foremost about the upcoming midterm elections,” said Yury Ushakov on state-run TV program “Moscow.Kremlin.Putin.” “He keeps emphasizing the need to bring (Griner) back home… However, it’s not the main issue that we are concerned about.”
Griner has been in Russian custody since her February arrest, days before Russia invaded Ukraine, at a Moscow-area airport on drug smuggling charges. She said she inadvertently packed cannabis oil in her luggage, pleaded guilty and was issued a nine-year prison sentence that her lawyers are appealing.
Efforts to arrange a swap to free her have been hampered by the historically poor relations between Russia. Biden has said he would be willing to discuss Griner’s case with Russian president Vladimir Putin at next month’s Group of 20 meeting in Indonesia.
Other developments:
►Four more vessels carrying 140,000 metric tons of agricultural products left Odesa for countries in Africa, Asia and Europe, the Infrastructure Ministry announced.
►Russia’s bombings of civilian targets have killed 423 Ukrainian children and injured 810 since February, Ukraine’s prosecutor general’s office reported.
BRITTNEY GRINER: WNBA star worried she may not be released from Russian prison, lawyer says
Six people wounded in rocket attack near Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant
At least six people were wounded in Russian rocket attacks near Zaporizhzhia, Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, where Russia has stationed troops, Ukrainian authorities said Sunday. Kyrylo Tymoshenko, deputy head of the Ukrainian president’s office, said two residents of Nikopol had been hospitalized following the strikes, which also damaged five power lines, gas pipelines and numerous civilian businesses and residential buildings.
Russia and Ukraine have repeatedly accused each other of firing at and around the plant, which continues to be run by its pre-occupation Ukrainian staff under Russian oversight.
TURNING POINT?: As Russia retreates in some aeas, Ukraine regains land, confidence
Office of Russian-backed Donetsk mayor damaged in rocket attack
The municipal mayor’s office in separatist-controlled Donetsk was seriously damaged by a rocket attack Russian authorities blamed on Ukrainian forces. Plumes of smoke swirled around the building, which had rows of blown-out windows and a partially collapsed ceiling. Cars nearby were burned out. There were no immediate reports of casualties and Kyiv didn’t immediately claim responsibility. The Russian administration in Dontesk said the building was hit by a HIMAR rocket – the type supplied to Ukraine by the United States.
Contributing: The Associated Press
