INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
The United States said Tuesday that Russia has unjustly detained basketball star Brittney Griner, a finding that steps up efforts to free
her more than two months after she was seized in Moscow."The Department of State has determined that the Russian Federation has wrongfully
detained United States citizen Brittney Griner," a State Department spokesperson said.Calling American citizens' safety "among the highest
priorities of the United States government," the spokesperson said the State Department would "provide appropriate support" to
Griner.Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and WNBA champion, was detained at Moscow's airport on February 17 on charges of carrying
in her luggage vape cartridges with cannabis oil, which is illegal in Russia.Washington had earlier been granted consular access but had
stopped short of commenting on the nature of her detention.The finding comes nearly a week after the United States and Russia exchanged
prisoners, a scene reminiscent of the Cold War amid soaring tensions over Moscow's invasion in Ukraine.Russia in the last exchange freed
Trevor Reed, a former United States Marine accused of drunkenly fighting with police.The United States also says that Russia has unjustly
detained Paul Whelan, a former security official at a vehicle parts company who was sentenced to 16 years in prison on espionage
