State Department working to free Americans detained in Russia as WNBA star Brittney Griner remains in custody

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the US is working toward the release of Americans detained in Russia, including WNBA star Brittney Griner.

Though Mr Blinken did not mention Ms Griner by name, he did refer to her detention, NPR reports.

Ms Griner plays for both the Phoenix Mercury and the Russian basketball club UMMC Ekaterinburg. She was arrested at an airport near Moscow and was accused of transporting drugs. It is unclear when she was arrested.

"There's only so much I can say given the privacy considerations at this point," Mr Blinken said. "Whenever an American is detained anywhere in the world, we, of course, stand ready to provide every possible assistance, and that includes in Russia."

According to Mr Blinken, the State Department's consular service will visit Americans who are detained in Russia and assist them in securing legal representation. The consular service will also ensure they are receiving appropriate medical care. It cannot, however, offer its own legal assistance.

Two other Americans are also detained in Russia. They are former Marines Paul Whelan and Trevor Reed. Mr Whelan was arrested in 2018 and sentenced to 16 years in prison for espionage and has since pleaded not guilty.

Mr Reed was convicted in 2020 of intentionally endangering police officers and was given nine years in jail. Mr Reed said he was drunk on the night of the incident and does not remember what happened. He lost an appeal in June.

Ms Griner's American team issued a statement on Saturday acknowledging that it was "aware of and closely monitoring the situation with Brittney Griner in Russia. We remain in constant contact with her family, her representation, the WNBA and the NBA."

Though Mr Blinken said the US is officially urging Americans to flee Russia, it is still maintaining its embassy in Russia.

"In times like these, it's important that we maintain our diplomatic contacts, that we maintain the diplomatic support, particularly support that we can provide to Americans who may need it," he said.

Though the US has armed Ukraine to help the country fight off Russia's invasion, Joe Biden has insisted that US troops will not engage directly with Russia's forces.

Mr Biden recently rejected calls from Ukraine and some lawmakers for the US to establish a "no-fly zone" above Ukraine, which would force the American military to shoot down Russian jets to enforce the restricted air space. That would no doubt been viewed as a significant escalation by Russia.