Viktor Bout continues to claim innocence in an exclusive interview with ESPN. The interview with T.J. Quinn sheds light on the Russian arms dealer’s thoughts and trading process with the WNBA superstar Brittney Griner.
Viktor Bout, nicknamed the Merchant of Death, was arrested in April 2008 for conspiracy to kill United States Officials, among other felonies. The Department of Justice sentenced him to 25 years for his crimes.
Meanwhile, Russian officials detained the eight-time All-Star on Feb. 17, 2022, when she played for UMMC Ekaterinburg. Airport customs officials found her in possession of vape cartridges with cannabis oil.
Russia and America traded prisoners, and the respective prisoners went home to their countries. The trade happened on Dec. 8, 2022, at an airport in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
The Russian arms dealer had not communicated with any social media outlet since his trade with Griner on Dec. 8, 2022, not until his exclusive interview.
Bout’s thoughts on the trade
When the interviewer asked for the 56-year-old’s thoughts on the WNBA superstar, he claimed he followed the case closely. The Russian had been following Griner since she was playing for a Russian organization. He states that he followed the news to the detail that the U.S. government might trade him for Griner.
“I heard when she was arrested. Of course [I followed her trial]! Only lazy [people] would not cover her trial. Every talking radio host, every news station, every TV channel. This was a big deal, especially in jail.”
Viktor Bout
When asked about the outrage for his crimes in the U.S., he inverts the situation and claims that Russians were also outraged by his detainment. He claims he wasn’t doing anything wrong.
“Think of this as that the same outrage was in Russia when I was sentenced to 25 years. Many people would say, ‘For what? Just for talking? Are you serious?’ There is not even a proper translation to Russian of the crime of conspiracy. We don’t have such even the legal term.”
Viktor Bout
The arms dealer continues to claim that he is innocent. Denying that he would do anything or provide the weapons in the first place. However, when the same undercover U.S. agents said they would use the weapons against U.S. pilots, Bout said, “We have the same enemy.”
Furthermore, the 56-year-old feels for Griner. He claims humans shouldn’t be used as pawns when politicians need to play on their geopolitical chessboard.
“I feel bad for any person who’s going to be used as a pawn. Publicity is a multiplying factor which can really kill you. The normal person has to pay a price because politicians on both sides try to play chess on this big chessboard, which they call geopolitics. I feel really sorry when this wheel of destiny goes through somebody else’s life because I have my own experience.”
Viktor Bout
Griner surprised Bout when he saw her at the trade. He wasn’t expecting the WNBA player not to have her signature braids. The former prisoner states that after noticing she was taller than him, he just shook her hand and said, “I wish you good luck.” That was the end of the exchange.
Fans express their mixed emotions in X (formerly Twitter.)
Do you think this was the right move?
