Viktor #Bout's assistant refutes information that he headed the #Wagner PMC.

#til #lolwtf »Zu Beginn der Nullerjahre, als zahlreiche Bürgerkriege […] tobten […] unterhielt #Bout zeitweilig die größte #Flugzeugflotte der Welt. Er lieferte mit seinen Transportmaschinen Sturmgewehre […] Gold, Diamanten und Mineralien wie Coltan […]. Er flog sogar für die #UNO Lebensmittel für Vertriebene […] oder lieferte den teuren Viktoriabarsch aus Uganda per Luftfracht nach #Europa« — Prigoschin kämpft für den „Händler des Todes“ https://www.taz.de/!5950691

Just as I was joking last week (not really): https://twitter.com/sevslv/status/1600847571664134145?s=20&t=A4nv4wH0wXfmJmhLx-bfnA

#Bout will become the face of the 'systemic opposition' to the ruling party in the State Duma. #Griner

Per i russi, scambiare la signora Griner con il signor Bout era uno scambio di due criminali, secondo i funzionari statunitensi. Il signor Whelan, d'altra parte, era presumibilmente un agente americano, nel racconto russo, e quindi solo un altro agente o qualcuno di importanza equivalente meriterebb...
https://parliamodi.news/detail/2928.html#09Dicembre #Griner,Brittney #Bout,Viktor #PoliticalPrisoners #UnitedStatesPoliticsandGovernment

"#Bout has been appointed head of the Russian Defence Export State Corporation."

A parody (for now), but shhh don't give them ideas.

RT @sevslv@twitter.com

🚨Brittney #Griner, a star basketball player imprisoned in 🇷🇺, has been swapped for Viktor #Bout, convicted of arms trafficking and serving his sentence in 🇺🇸.

Expect Bout's election to the Duma or appointment to the president's council on human rights or disarmament committee.

🐦🔗: https://twitter.com/sevslv/status/1600847571664134145

"Western intelligence experts and reporters who tracked #Bout’s career say his access to the Antonov aircraft [points] to ties to 🇷🇺 organized crime, 🇷🇺 intelligence agencies, or both. Bout has denied ties to the Soviet KGB or [FSB]." @Mike_Eckel@twitter.com #Griner https://www.rferl.org/a/viktor-bour-profile-griner-prisoner-swap/31976479.html

Few people made that connection but, indeed, Putin happens to be in dire need of the very skillset #Bout possesses now, nine months into the failing war of colonial re-conquest of Ukraine. Missile stocks in Iran and North Korea are finite. Who can tap into new markets if not him?

The greater the notoriety, the more valuable the asset. Swapping #Bout for #Griner and getting him back into the fold was a prestige project.

🚨Brittney #Griner, a star basketball player imprisoned in 🇷🇺, has been swapped for Viktor #Bout, convicted of arms trafficking and serving his sentence in 🇺🇸.

Expect Bout's election to the Duma or appointment to the president's council on human rights or disarmament committee.