The Kremlin on Wednesday issued a warning against public discussion of prisoner swap negotiations concerning WNBA star Brittney Griner.

Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov noted after a reporter asked if Griner could be released in a prisoner swap deal with the United States that "we always say that any contacts about possible exchanges can only be conducted in silence under a tight lid on any information."

He previously said, "If we discuss prisoner exchanges via the press, then they will never take place."

Griner, who was sentenced in August to nine years in prison for drug possession, was first arrested in February. She eventually pleaded guilty, saying that she accidentally brought two cannabis vape cartridges into the country. Griner also said that she has a prescription for medical marijuana due to chronic pain. Her sentence was upheld at an appeals hearing on Tuesday.

"It is not what we expected. We are very disappointed," her attorneys said after the hearing. "The verdict contains numerous defects, and we hoped that the court of appeal would take them into consideration. We still think the punishment is excessive and contradicts to the existing court practice. Brittney's biggest fear is that she is not exchanged and will have to serve the whole sentence in Russia. She had hopes for today as each month, each day away from her family and friends matters to her."

• Kremlin: Griner Prisoner Swap Must Be Negotiated Behind Closed Doors
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