Two WNBA players were among a dozen Americans who played in Russia after Brittney Griner's arrest
Two WNBA players were among a dozen Americans who opted to play in Russia this past offseason following Brittney Griner’s incarceration in 2022
NEW YORK (AP) — Two WNBA players were among a dozen Americans that opted to play in Russia this past offseason, a decision New York Liberty forward Kayla Thornton said raised a few eyebrows following Brittney Griner’s incarceration in 2022.
“I had a lot of people trying to question my decision and were like, ‘Are you sure?’” Thornton told The Associated Press. “Me and my family prayed about it and that’s where my heart went, and I went. My mom is a pastor. She believes God’s going to take care of you. She prayed every night and obviously nothing bad happened.”
Other Americans haven't been as fortunate. Russia is known to be holding a number of Americans in its jails, including corporate security executive Paul Whelan and Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich. The U.S. government has designated both as wrongfully detained and has been trying to negotiate for their release.
An American soldier was recently arrested in Russia and accused of stealing, according to two U.S. officials. Cynthia Smith, an Army spokeswoman, confirmed that a soldier was detained Thursday in Vladivostok, a major military and commercial Pacific port, on charges of criminal misconduct.
