A plane carrying basketball star Brittney Griner landed in the United States early on Friday, nearly 10 months after she was detained in Russia.
Griner was released in a prisoner swap with Russia in exchange for arms dealer Viktor Bout and was heading home on Thursday, ending what President Joe Biden called months of "hell" for her and her wife.
Griner, 32, a two-time Olympic gold medallist and star of the Women's National Basketball Association's Phoenix Mercury, flew in to San Antonio, Texas.
She was after vape cartridges containing cannabis oil, which is banned in Russia, were found in her luggage.
As Griner was en route to the United States, Bout arrived in Moscow and hugged his mother and wife after stepping onto the tarmac, television images showed.
The swap was a rare instance of cooperation between the United States and Russia since the invasion of Ukraine.
The two countries also swapped prisoners in April when Russia released former US Marine Trevor Reed and the United States released Russian pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko.
"This is a day we've worked toward for a long time. We never stopped pushing for her release," Mr Biden told reporters at the White House on Thursday (local time).
Griner was arrested on 17 February at a Moscow airport when vape cartridges containing cannabis oil, Source: AAP / (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, Pool, File)
"These past few months have been hell for Brittney," and for her wife, family and teammates, Mr Biden said.
Cherelle Griner, who said she was "overwhelmed with emotions," thanked Mr Biden and members of his administration for their work to free her wife.
"Today my family is whole. BG and I will remain committed to the work of getting every American home," she added, referring to her wife's initials.
Mr Biden said the United States would continue to work to free Paul Whelan, a former Marine also held in Russia.
Mr Whelan told CNN in an interview: "I am greatly disappointed that more has not been done to secure my release, especially as the four-year anniversary of my arrest is coming up. I was arrested for a crime that never occurred."
The UAE president and Saudi crown prince led mediation efforts that secured Griner's release, a UAE-Saudi joint statement said.
Mr Biden thanked the United Arab Emirates for helping facilitate Griner's return but did not mention Saudi Arabia in his remarks. The White House said that talks that secured the basketball star's release only occurred between the US and Russia.
The swap was one of the most high-profile and rare examples of cooperation between Washington and Moscow since the invasion, which occurred a week after Griner's detention.
Griner's wife, Cherelle Griner, said she was "overwhelmed with emotions". Source: Getty, AFP / Brendan Smialowski
For almost two decades, Bout became the world's most notorious arms dealer, selling weaponry to rogue states, rebel groups and murderous warlords in Africa, Asia and South America.
For experts on the Russian security services, Moscow's lasting interest in Bout hint strongly at Russian intelligence ties.
