Russian court sustains Brittney Griner's sentence. US ready for extraordinary measures

The Moscow Regional Court upheld the sentence of US basketball player Brittney Griner, who was sentenced to nine years in Russia, TASS reports.

The verdict of the Khimki Court was changed only in terms of offsetting the period of Griner's stay in the pre-trial detention center. The rest of the appeal was dismissed.

Today, on October 25, the Moscow Regional Court administered the appeal against the athlete's sentence. The defendant was present at the court meeting via video link from the pre-trial detention center. Brittney Griner's lawyer hoped that it would be possible to cut the athlete's sentence.

On August 4, the Khimki Court found Griner guilty of drug smuggling without intent to sell. She was sentenced to nine years in a penal colony. As mitigating circumstances, the court took into account the player's admission of guilt and her sports achievements.

Biden ready for extraordinary measures

US President Joe Biden is ready to take extraordinary measures and tough decisions in order to bring Americans convicted in Russia home to the United States, Jake Sullivan, Biden's national security adviser said.

Sullivan also said that Washington continues to interact with Moscow via all available channels making every effort to bring the athlete back to her homeland.

The Biden administration provides support to other detainees in Russia, he added.

• US basketball player Brittney Griner was sentenced to 9 years in prison and a fine of 1 million rubles (about $16,500) in a drug smuggling case.
• The court dismissed arguments from the athlete's lawyers, who claimed that Griner allegedly felt unwell and therefore could accidentally throw vapes with hash oil into her luggage. Claims about violation of rules of investigative actions were dismissed as well.