Viktor Bout, the infamous Russian arms dealer, who was released in a prisoner exchange for WNBA star Brittney Griner, has reportedly resurfaced in the arms trade arena. According to sources, Bout, also known as the 'Merchant of Death,' is now engaged in negotiations with Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen.
At 57 years old, Bout, who currently serves as a local politician in Russian President Vladimir Putin's party, is said to have met with Houthi representatives in Moscow in August. The discussions allegedly revolved around a potential arms deal amounting to $10 million for small arms.
Although the arms shipment has not been finalized, the prospect of a deal between Moscow and the Houthis, designated as a terrorist group by the U.S., signals a concerning escalation of tensions by Putin.
There are apprehensions about potential repercussions from Russia following the approval by President Biden's administration for Ukraine to utilize Western-provided weapons in offensive operations against Russia.
Steve Zissou, a New York attorney who previously represented Bout in the U.S., drew parallels between the rumored arms deal and the global arms trade practices of the U.S. Zissou emphasized that if Bout is indeed facilitating arms transfers to American adversaries with Russian government authorization, it mirrors the U.S. government's actions in supplying weapons to Russia's adversaries like Ukraine.
Bout had already served 12 years of his 25-year sentence before his release in December 2022. In a previous statement, Bout likened his sentence in the U.S. to Griner's situation in Russia, highlighting the perceived injustices in both cases.
Reflecting on the prisoner exchange, Bout recounted a brief interaction with Griner during the event, expressing surprise at her appearance without her signature braids and noting her towering height compared to his. Despite the exchange being a swift and uneventful process, Bout extended well wishes to Griner before parting ways.
