U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner, facing nine years behind bars in Russia after being convicted on drug charges, has been transferred to a penal colony about 500 km (300 miles) southeast of Moscow, her lawyers said on Thursday.
Mordovia is the region where another American, Paul Whelan, is serving a 16-year sentence in a different penal settlement after being convicted of espionage charges that he denies.
Asked about Griner's case before the statement from the lawyers was issued, a U.S. State Department spokesperson said: "We are aware of reports of her location, and in frequent contact with Ms. Griner's legal team.
"However, the Russian Federation has still failed to provide any official notification for such a move of a U.S. citizen, which we strongly protest."
Inmates of Russian penal colonies are required to work long hours for meagre pay on tedious manual tasks such as sewing. Former prisoners and human rights groups describe conditions as harsh and unhygienic, with little access to medical care.
Russia and the United States have discussed swapping Griner and Whelan, a former U.S. Marine, for a Russian arms dealer jailed in the United States, but no deal has materialized amid heightened tensions over Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Related:
Russia’s penal colonies are often grim, cramped facilities. Here’s what could await Brittney Griner (CNN)
Update:
Exclusive: Brittney Griner taken to penal colony in Russia's Mordovia region (Reuters)