INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
A former United States ambassador to the UN who has worked out the release of numerous American residents kept in other countries traveled
to Russia today as Washington continues to push for the release of 2 imprisoned Americans in high-profile cases, CNN reported Tuesday
without naming its source.Bill Richardson convened with unknown Russian leaders in Moscow, according to the Associated Press, which pointed
out an unnamed individual acquainted with the matter.No other information on Richardsons unannounced trip have actually been divulged
If verified, the talks would be among the very first face-to-face United States -Russian negotiations given that the Kremlins forces got
into Ukraine in February.President Vladimir Putins representative Dmitry Peskov told reporters Wednesday that there were no conferences at
the Kremlin when asked to comment about Richardsons reported trip.CNN quoted a senior Biden administration authorities saying that anyone
traveling to Russia is going as a civilian and they dont promote the U.S government
Russian diplomats have confirmed that silent diplomacy was underway with the United States on a possible exchange of detainees held in
The United States is pressing for the release of WNBA star Brittney Griner, who was last month sentenced to 9 years in Russian prison on
drug smuggling charges, and former United States Marine Paul Whelan, founded guilty of espionage in June 2020 and sentenced to 16 years in
prison.Griner pleaded guilty to the charges, but said she did not mean to utilize the banned substance in Russia
Whelan keeps his innocence
Washington classifies both Griner and Whelan as wrongfully apprehended, meaning the United States government is involved in efforts to
protect their release.Moscow suggested that it was seeking the release of notorious arms trafficker Viktor Bout, who was in 2012 sentenced
to 25 years in United States prison on charges of arming rebels in some of the worlds bloodiest conflicts.Richardson stated in August he
was positive about efforts to negotiate a two for 2 prisoner swap with Russia
