Griner relocated over 200 miles outside Moscow

WNBA prima Brittney Griner was relocated to a penal colony successful Mordovia, astir 210 miles eastbound of Moscow, to service her nine-year sentence, her lawyers and cause said Thursday.

Griner's lawyers, Maria Blagovolina and Alexander Boykov, had announced past week that the WNBA prima was being transferred to a Russian penal colony but that they did not cognize her destination astatine the time.

"Brittney is doing arsenic good arsenic could beryllium expected and trying to enactment beardown arsenic she adapts to a caller environment," her lawyers said successful their latest statement, noting that they had visited with her earlier this week.

Griner's agent, Lindsay Colas, said the Phoenix Mercury halfway was "trying to enactment strong" amid the circumstances.

"Despite the information she is unsocial and present nearing her ninth period successful detention separated from her loved ones, she is trying to enactment strong," Colas said successful a statement. "At this time, we volition not beryllium sharing immoderate further details, but privation to explicit our deepest acknowledgment to the Biden Administration, the Richardson Center, and to everyone who has reached retired to connection words of encouragement to her."

Griner's household had dreaded her impending determination to a penal colony ever since the entreaty of her condemnation was denied Oct. 25. Russian penal colonies are known for having acold harsher conditions than the Moscow jailhouse wherever Griner has been since she was detained successful February.

Griner pleaded blameworthy to cause smuggling charges successful July pursuing her apprehension astatine a Moscow-area airdrome Feb. 17, erstwhile she was recovered with vape cartridges that contained hashish lipid portion trying to participate Russia to articulation her nine squad successful Ekaterinburg. At her trial, Griner admitted to having the canisters successful her luggage but testified she packed them inadvertently successful her haste to marque her formation and had nary transgression intent. Her defence squad presented written statements saying she had been prescribed cannabis to dainty chronic pain.

She was fixed her nine-year condemnation successful August earlier losing her entreaty past month.

U.S. officials declared successful May that Griner was being wrongfully detained and person called her proceedings and entreaty governmental theater. The Biden medication has been trying for months to negociate the merchandise of Griner and different American jailed successful Russia, Michigan firm information enforcement Paul Whelan. Whelan was besides sent to a penal colony successful Mordovia aft being convicted of espionage-related charges successful 2020 and sentenced to 16 years successful prison.

President Joe Biden told reporters past week that helium hopes Russian President Vladimir Putin volition beryllium much consenting to negociate the merchandise of Griner present that the U.S. midterm elections are over.

"My anticipation is that present that the predetermination is over, that Mr. Putin volition beryllium capable to sermon with america and beryllium consenting to speech much earnestly astir a captive exchange," Biden said.

Information from ESPN's T.J. Quinn and The Associated Press was utilized successful this report.