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Viktor Bout says he wished Brittney Griner luck during prisoner swap
Asked if Griner engaged with him during the high-level exchange, the 55-year-old said: “Yes, she did, and I felt she was very positive towards me.”
Edited video of the pair shared by Russian state media on Thursday does not appear to show the two conversing, and Griner has not commented on the alleged interaction. In the footage, Griner can be seen flanked by three Russian men in suits and Bout is accompanied by an American man in khakis. The two walk by each other on the tarmac before Bout embraces the Russian men and Griner leaves with the American.
In his Saturday interview, Bout also expressed support for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, saying he believes Moscow should have launched military action “sooner.”
“I fully support it,” he said of the war. “If I had the opportunity and the necessary skills, I would certainly volunteer.”
His interview was conducted by Marina Butina, a Russian agent convicted and jailed in the United States for conspiring to infiltrate the National Rifle Association and other organizations without registering with authorities. She was released and deported back to Russia in October 2019.
Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medalist who was set to play in Russia during the WNBA offseason, was arrested at an airport near Moscow in February. She was sentenced to 9½ years in prison after bringing vape cartridges containing a small amount of cannabis oil in her luggage, which is illegal in Russia. Griner said it was an honest mistake and her lawyers said she had a prescription to treat chronic pain and other conditions.
Bout was serving a 25-year sentence at a medium-security prison in Illinois for conspiring to kill U.S. nationals and selling weapons to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) when President Biden approved his release and commuted his sentence. The Kremlin had long called for Bout’s release, calling his conviction “unlawful.”
In a separate Friday interview with RT, also with Butina, Bout said it was difficult to describe his new freedom.
“It’s hard to even find the right words to describe it all,” he said, before adding that he did not believe himself to be “any way important” to Russian politics or Putin.
“We don’t leave our own people behind, right?” he said of Russia’s fight for his release.
Griner touched down in San Antonio early Friday, ending a nearly 10-month saga that landed one of the world’s best women’s basketball players at the heart of U.S.-Russia tensions. Officials said Griner would receive medical treatment and other support.
Griner’s wife, Cherelle Griner, celebrated her partner’s return home in a Saturday Instagram post, adding that the couple are recovering from their time apart.
“As BG and I start our journey to heal our minds, bodies, and spirits — I wanted to personally say thank you to some of the hands; seen and unseen, that helped make it possible for me to see my wife again!” she wrote.
Natalia Abbakumova, Miriam Berger, Mary Ilyushina, Arelis R. Hernández and Niha Masih contributed to this report.
Viktor Bout: Freed Russian arms dealer “wholeheartedly” supports Ukraine war
CNN
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Freed Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout said on Saturday he “wholeheartedly” supports Moscow’s so-called “military operation” in Ukraine and that if he had the opportunity and necessary skills, he would “certainly go as a volunteer.”
Bout, nicknamed the “Merchant of Death” by his accusers, was released Thursday from US detention in a prisoner swap for US basketball star Brittney Griner.
Bout made the remarks in a video interview with Kremlin-controlled TV network RT. He was interviewed by Maria Butina, a Russian gun-rights enthusiast-turned TV personality who now works for the network.
In the interview, he denied any connections with the Taliban and that he supplied arms to Afghanistan.
When asked if he had a portrait of President Vladimir Putin in his prison cell, Bout said: “Yes, always. Why not? I’m proud that I’m Russian and that our president is Putin.”
The former Soviet military officer was serving a 25-year prison sentence in the United States on charges of conspiring to kill Americans, acquire and export anti-aircraft missiles, and provide material support to a terrorist organization. Bout, who had maintained his innocence, is believed to be in his 50s, with his age in dispute because of different passports and documents.
Griner, 32, returned to the United States early Friday after being released from custody in an exchange for an international arms dealer. She was “in good spirits” and “incredibly gracious,” National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told CNN.
Griner – who had played in the off-season for a Russian women’s basketball team – was arrested on drugs charges at an airport in the Moscow region in February. Despite her testimony that she had inadvertently packed the cannabis oil found in her luggage, she was sentenced to nine years in prison in early August and moved to a penal colony in Mordovia in mid-November after losing her appeal.
The swap, which US President Joe Biden confirmed on Thursday, did not include another American that the State Department has declared wrongfully detained, Paul Whelan. Whelan was arrested on alleged espionage charges in 2018 and sentenced to 16 years in prison in a trial that US officials have called unfair.
The families of Griner and Whelan had urged the White House to secure their release, including via prisoner exchange if necessary.
Brittney Griner trade news live: WNBA star arrives at San Antonio army hospital in US after being released by Russia in exchange for Viktor Bout
Brittney Griner back on US soil after spending 294 days in Russian prison
Brittney Griner has landed back on US soil for the first time in 10 months after she was released from Russian custody in a prisoner swap with “Merchant of Death” Viktor Bout.
The WNBA star arrived at the Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio early on Friday morning, where she will be examined and receive any necessary medical treatment.
Footage showed Ms Griner and Bout being exchanged on the tarmac of a runway in the UAE on Thursday, following weeks of negotiations between Washington and Moscow.
The deal failed to include US Marine Paul Whelan who has been detained in Russia for the last four years. Mr Whelan told CNN he was “greatly disappointed” to learn he was not part of the prisoner swap, saying: “I don’t understand why I’m still sitting here.”
President Joe Biden insisted on Thursday that “we’ve not forgotten about Paul Whelan” and vowed to “never give up” securing his release, as the swap divided opinion across the country. The White House was also forced to deny claims made by Saudi Arabia and the UAE that MBS negotiated the deal.
White House press secretary says Brittney Griner reunited with wife, appears to be in good health
Former WNBA star Brittney Griner has been reunited with her wife, Cherelle, according to White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
Griner returned to the US on Friday after she was released from Russian custody thanks to a prisoner swap negotiated by US officials. International arms dealer Viktor Bout was released from US custody in the trade.
Ms Jean-Pierre said Griner was in “very good spirits” upon her return, and appeared “to be in good health.”
Graig Graziosi9 December 2022 19:52
Brittney Griner cut her hair while locked up in Russia because her locks were freezing
Former WNBA star Brittney Griner, who was released from Russian custody this week thanks to a prisoner swap deal the US made the Russia, reportedly cut her hair short while imprisoned because it was freezing on her head.
Maria Blagovolina, one of Griner’s attorneys, told ESPN that Griner cut her hair approximately two weeks ago after it began freezing due to the cold Russian winter.
“It’s very cold in there and every time she washed her hair she got cold and would get a chill,” Ms Blagovolina said. “She should have waited until New Year’s Day.”
Graig Graziosi9 December 2022 19:31
Russians did not negotiate ‘in good faith’ for Paul Whelan, White House press secretary says
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Friday that Russia was not willing to engage in “good faith” negotiations to free Paul Whelan, an American man who has been imprisoned in the country since 2018. US officials attempted to include Mr Whelan in a prisoner swap deal they made to free former WNBA star Brittney Griner, but a deal could not be reached.
“In the past week or two, we saw that the Russians were willing to release Brittney Griner for Mr Bout. That’s what was presented to us. They were not willing to negotiate in good faith for Paul Whelan.”
Graig Graziosi9 December 2022 19:03
Russia offered up Paul Whelan as part of Brittney Griner trade, but asked for spy serving life sentence for murder
US officials speaking with CNN told the outlet that Russia did offer Paul Whelan as part of the prisoner swap deal that freed former WNBA star Brittney Griner, but only if a Russian spy serving a life sentence in Germany for murder was released along with the “Merchant of Death” Viktor Bout.
The US inquired with Germany about potentially releasing Vadim Krasikov, the Russian spy who was convicted for murder. The US was unable to negotiate for the Russian’s release. However, according to officials, the US did offer up other imprisoned Russians in an effort to free Mr Whelan, but those offers were rejected by Russia.
Graig Graziosi9 December 2022 18:46
Tucker Carlson makes baseless claim that Biden chose to rescue Griner and not Paul Whelan due to identity politics
During a broadcast on Fox News, host Tucker Carlson claimed, without evidence, that NBC News scrubbed a report it released that initially said Russia had given the US the option to release either Brittney Griner or Paul Whelan. He claims the network did this at the behest of the Biden administration, again without a shred of evidence.
“Why did they make that choice? You should know that Whalen is a Trump voter and he made the mistake of saying so on social media, and he’s paying the price for that now,” Carlson said. “Brittany Griner is not. She has very different politics.”
According to Carlson, Griner was chosen because Mr Whelan is a Trump voter and Griner is Black, a woman, and a lesbian.
Russia — which has no incentive to protect Joe Biden’s image — has not issued any statement undermining the White House’s claim that Mr Whelan was never on the table for a possible prisoner swap.
Graig Graziosi9 December 2022 17:57
Steph Curry’s full Brittney Griner message during SI Sportsperson of the Year awards
NBA star Steph Curry won Sports Illustrated’s Sportsperson of the Year award during a ceremony on Thursday, and during his acceptance speech addressed the release of former WNBA star Brittney Griner.
Mr Curry was a major advocate for Griner while she was in prison.
“We are glad she’s home, we’re glad she’s reunited with her family,” Mr Curry said. “It’s a constant reminder for everybody continuing to use their platforms to speak on issues that are meaningful and can move the needle. Thank you to President Biden’s administration for being a part of that fight. But, it’s also a reminder that we all need to stay engaged in the fight to protect American citizens at home and abroad who are wrongfully detained, and we can continue to be engaged in that fight. BG, we love you. We thank you for your sacrifice and your continued perseverance and patience to get through this process, and hope you enjoy reuniting with your family. We are always with you, BG.”
Graig Graziosi9 December 2022 17:25
‘Merchant of Death’ Viktor Bout says the West wants Russia to crumble
Viktor Bout, a notorious arms dealer, was released this week in a prisoner exchange between the US and Russia for former WNBA star Brittney Griner. After his release he shared his views about his captors with Russian media, according to the Associated Press.
“The West believes that it has failed to finish us off when the Soviet Union began to collapse,” Bout said. “And our efforts to live independently, be an independent power is a shock to them.”
Russian state media hailed Bout’s return.
“Everyone will forget about Griner tomorrow,” Yevgeny Popov, a Russian state media host, wrote on Telegram on Thursday. “Bout’s life is only beginning.”
Graig Graziosi9 December 2022 16:46
Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters on Friday in the wake of Brittney Griner’s release that more prisoner swaps with the US may be possible in the future.
According to the Associated Press, Mr Putin said that “everything is possible” when asked if there may be more prisoner exchanges in the future.
“We aren’t refusing to continue this work in the future,” he said.
It’s unclear what that may mean in for Paul Whelan, an American who has been locked up in Russia since 2018. The White House pushed for his release alongside Griner’s, but reports indicate Russia was not willing to release Mr Whelan.
Joe Biden said he would “never give up” trying to secure Mr Whelan’s release.
Read more in the Independent Premium story below…
Graig Graziosi9 December 2022 16:20
Pentagon admits it has ‘concerns’ over release of ‘Merchant of Death’
An unnamed Pentagon official said there are some concerns within the defense agency regarding the release of Viktor Bout, the “Merchant of Death” arms dealer, back into the world.
Bout was freed by the US as part of a prisoner swap to secure the release of Brittney Griner.
“I think there is a concern that he would return to doing the same kind of work that he’s done in the past,” an unnamed Defense Department official told Politico.
Read more at The Independent below.
Graig Graziosi9 December 2022 15:56
Putin says future prisoners swaps possible
Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters on Friday in the wake of Brittney Griner’s release that more prisoner swaps with the US may be possible in the future.
According to the Associated Press, Mr Putin said that “everything is possible” when asked if there may be more prisoner exchanges in the future.
“We aren’t refusing to continue this work in the future,” he said.
It’s unclear what that may mean in for Paul Whelan, an American who has been locked up in Russia since 2018. The White House pushed for his release alongside Griner’s, but reports indicate Russia was not willing to release Mr Whelan.
Joe Biden said he would “never give up” trying to secure Mr Whelan’s release.
Graig Graziosi9 December 2022 15:32
Brittney Griner arrives in U.S. following her release by Russia in prisoner swap for arms dealer Viktor Bout
Brittney Griner arrived in the U.S. early Friday, landing at Kelly Field in San Antonio, Texas.
The WNBA star, who was held for months in Russian prisons on drug charges, was released Thursday in a one-for-one prisoner swap for notorious international arms dealer Viktor Bout, bringing an end to an ordeal that sparked intense high-level negotiations between the Washington and the Moscow to secure her freedom.
Roger Carstens, the special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, tweeted, “So happy to have Brittney back on U.S. soil. Welcome home BG!”
Per standard procedure for freed U.S. prisoners, Griner was expected to quickly undergo a medical evaluation.
SUZANNE CORDEIRO/AFP via Getty Images
President Biden announced Griner’s impending return Thursday morning at the White House, saying, “She’s safe. She’s on a plane. She’s on her way home.”
“After months of being unjustly detained in Russia, held under intolerable circumstances, Brittney will soon be back in the arms of her loved ones and she should have been there all along,” Mr. Biden said. “This is a day we’ve worked toward for a long time. We never stopped pushing for her release.”
CBS News was first to report the swap, which took place in the United Arab Emirates, citing a U.S. official.Five former U.S. officials told CBS News the agreement was reached last Thursday.
The president said he spoke to Griner by phone from the Oval Office, where he was joined by Griner’s wife Cherelle, Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
/ AP
Mr. Biden said he was “glad to be able to say Brittney is in good spirits.” He dismissed the “show trial in Russia” that landed her in prison and said “she didn’t ask for special treatment.”
To secure Griner’s release, the president ordered that Bout be freed and returned to Russia. Mr. Biden signed the commutation order cutting short Bout’s 25-year federal prison sentence.
Notably, the Griner-for-Bout exchange left retired U.S. Marine Paul Whelan imprisoned in Russia. Whelan has been in Russian custody for nearly four years. He was convicted on espionage charges that the U.S. has called false.
“We’ve not forgotten about Paul Whelan,” Mr. Biden said Thursday, adding “we will never give up” on securing his release.
U.S. officials told reporters it became clear in talks with the Russians that the prospect of securing the release of both Griner and Whelan in exchange for Bout was a nonstarter, with one official saying the U.S. had “a choice between bringing home one particular American — Brittney Griner — or bringing home none.”
Whelan told CNN in a phone call Thursday he was happy Griner was free but he was “greatly disappointed that more has not been done to secure my release, especially as the four-year anniversary of my arrest is coming up.” This month marks the fourth anniversary of Whelan’s time in Russian custody.
Griner, a 32-year-old star center for the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, was detained at a Russian airport in February and later pleaded guilty to charges stemming from the discovery of cannabis-derived oil cartridges in her luggage. Griner said she didn’t mean to bring the cartridges with her when she traveled to the country to play in a Russian basketball league during the WNBA offseason.
After five months of stalled diplomacy and various permutations of potential swap arrangements — including a previously unreported offer by the U.S. this past summer to send two prisoners back to Russia for the two Americans — sources say the one-for-one exchange came together over the last two weeks.
Whelan, who once worked as a corporate security contractor, was in Moscow for a friend’s wedding when he was detained at a hotel in December 2018. Russian authorities later sentenced him to 16 years in prison for espionage — a charge the U.S. and Whelan denied.
Bout, who was most recently held at a federal prison in Marion, Illinois, was arrested by the Drug Enforcement Agency in Thailand following a sting operation in 2008. He was convicted of conspiring to kill Americans and began his 25-year sentence a decade ago.
Griner’s arrest coincided with the February start of Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, and all U.S. dealings with the Kremlin have been complicated by that conflict. The U.S. has said both Griner and Whelan were “wrongfully detained,” and officials have suspected that Russia has been using the American prisoners as leverage.
Griner’s return for Bout marks the Biden administration’s second prisoner swap with Russia. In April, the U.S. traded Konstantin Yaroshenko, a Russian smuggler convicted of conspiring to import cocaine, for Trevor Reed, a former U.S. Marine who had been imprisoned in Russia for nearly three years.
CBS News learned last Thursday that the Griner-for-Bout swap was in the offing but agreed to a White House request to hold the reporting because officials expressed grave concern about the fragility of the then-emerging deal.
The Biden administration officials warned that making details of the swap public beforehand would almost certainly lead Russia to pull out of the agreement and potentially endanger Griner’s well-being.
Nancy Cordes, Ed O’Keefe, Sara Cook, Camilla Schick, Tucker Reals, Haley Ott, Melissa Quinn and Caitlin Yilek contributed reporting.