US marks anniversary of Paul Whelan’s detention in Russia

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is marking the four-year anniversary of the detention in Russia of American businessman Paul Whelan. His continued imprisonment is one of several major irritants in tattered relations between Washington and Moscow. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says in a statement that securing Whelan’s release remains a top administration priority. U.S. officials had hoped to include Whelan in a prisoner swap this month in which they traded detained WNBA star Brittney Griner for a convicted Russian arms dealer. The administration considers Whelan, like Griner, to have been wrongfully detained. The Michigan corporate security executive is jailed on espionage charges that his family and the U.S. government have said are baseless.