Arms-dealer Viktor Bout, who was part of the US-Russia prisoner swap deal and who returned to Moscow saw WNBA basketball player Brittney Griner freed, said Griner wanted to shake his hand as they were passing each other on the Abu Dhabi airport tarmac.
Bout has served 10 years in America’s prisons after being found guilty of plotting to kills American citizens, officials and delivering anti-aircraft missiles and helping a terrorist organisation in 2011 after he was extradited from Bangkok.
Speaking to state-run RT Bout said Griner wanted to shake his hand. “She wanted to shake my hand. You could feel that she was really positive,” Bout said. He further added that it is a Russian tradition to wish everyone good fortune and happiness.
The video of the prison swap was shared widely by Russian media where Bout and his handler were seen walking past Griner and her handlers, but pausing for a moment in between to hug and shake hands. The videos shared widely did not show Griner and Bout shaking hands.
News18 could not independently verify the authenticity of the widely shared video.
Coke Zero and Diet Pepsi
Bout, who spent almost a decade in American prisons, said there was not much difference between Republican former president Donald Trump and current US President Joe Biden.
He said partisan divisions will not lead to a revolution in the US. He said these presidents were like ‘Coke Zero’ and ‘Diet Pepsi’.
He also said that there is a ‘civilisational suicide’ going on in the West and added that he was surprised to hear that there were 72 genders.
Bout said that the US and Russia shared more in common and if there was no propaganda, these two nations would not be enemies.
“(These two countries) are almost the same size. We have a lot in common. I met a lot of inmates, from rural America, who were interested in Russia and wanted to know about Russia,” Bout told RT.
He said that the US is no more a model for the world and it is no more the ‘shining city atop a hill.’ “The country is losing its Christian values,” Bout added.
The arms dealer who supplied weapons and sustained wars said if given the chance he will join Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ‘military operation’ against Ukraine.
“If I had the chance and the required skills, I’d join up as a volunteer,” Bout said.
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