Who is Viktor Bout, the Russian arms dealer known as the “Merchant of Death”?
Speculation is growing that the U.S. could release Viktor Bout, a convicted arms dealer nicknamed the "Merchant of Death," to secure the freedom of women's basketball star Brittney Griner and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, who are both imprisoned in Russia. Russian state media has speculated for months that Griner, who was detained at a Moscow airport in February on drug charges, and Whelan, sentenced to 16 years in a Russian prison on espionage charges that he called a setup, could be swapped for Bout, whose freedom has long been sought by the Kremlin. But the Biden administration remained quiet about the possibility. Then on Wednesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, offered the first public glimpse at efforts to bring Griner and Whelan home, saying the U.S. has put forward a...
