Getty Image
Viktor Bout, the former Russian political prisoner know as the “Merchant of Death” who was exchanged for WNBA star Brittney Griner, is back to dealing arms to terrorist groups according to a new report from Wall Street Journal.
Bout became a politician in Vladimir Putin’s far-right party in Russia upon his release. But the WSJ reports that his days as a weapons dealer aren’t quite over.
“…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 report state.
Bout’s release as part of the Griner exchange was a huge point of contention. Especially after United States marine Paul Whelan, who has since been released, was not part of the exchange.
Russian Prisoner Exchanged For Brittney Griner Could Escalate Middle East Fight
The Wall Street Journal reports that while Bout sold weapons to the Houthis, they have not yet been delivered.
“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 states. “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, meanwhile, returned to the WNBA in 2023. She was named a WNBA All-Star in each of the last two season and she and her wife have expressed gratitude to the U.S. government for bringing her home.
“It means everything to me honestly,” Griner told The Associated Press about playing for Team USA in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. “For me to now have the honor to wear it again and potentially win gold is icing on the cake for everything.”