Viktor Bout and Brittney Griner (Photos via Getty Images)
Viktor Bout, the Russian Arms dealer swapped for WNBA star Brittney Griner, has reportedly returned to his nefarious ways.
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Bout, known as the “Merchant of Death,” became a politician under the Vladimir Putin regime upon release. However, according to the Wall Street Journal, he has gone right back to dealing weapons.
“…When Houthi emissaries went to Moscow in August to negotiate the purchase of $10 million worth of automatic weapons, they encountered a familiar face: the mustachioed Bout, according to a European security official and other people familiar with the matter,” the publication notes in a report outlining Bout’s dealings with the Islamist movement.
Lots Of Americans Were Unhappy With The Decision To Swap Viktor Bout For Brittney Griner
Bout’s release from an American prison sparked a major controversy after the Biden Administration agreed to use him in an exchange that saw Griner released from jail in Russia. Many people were upset over captured U.S. Marine Paul Whelan not receiving similar treatment.
Whelan has since been released.
Per the WSJ, Bout the Houthis have not received the weapons they purchased from Bout, but this could prove to be a major issue for the U.S.
“Still, even small arms shipments to the Houthis would be opposed by Washington, which has designated the Yemen militants as a terrorist group,” the report adds. “Arming a belligerent in the Middle East conflict would also mark an escalation for Russia, which has been strengthening security ties with Tehran but has generally stayed away from the confrontation between Israel and its Iran-backed foes.”
Griner, who returned to the WNBA following her release, detailed her ordeal in Russia in a book released earlier this year.
She also represented the U.S. at the Olympic Games in France, helping the women’s team win gold.
