U.S. Spa Worker Freed in Russia-U.S. Prisoner Swap

U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce held a press briefing following Russia’s release of a Los Angeles spa worker who had been sentenced to 12 years in prison for donating to a charity supporting Ukraine. The release came as part of a prisoner exchange deal, in which the U.S. handed over a man accused of running a global smuggling network that funneled sensitive American electronics to the Russian military. The State Department emphasized the importance of securing the release of unjustly detained Americans while maintaining strict oversight of national security concerns.