Former arms dealer, Viktor Bout, better known as the “Merchant of Death,” who was traded for WNBA star Brittney Griner, has been tapped by a so-called far-right political party in Russia to run for office in the regional legislature.

(Video Credit: Reuters)

Bout joined Russia’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), formerly known as the Liberal Democratic Party of the Soviet Union when he returned from the United States. The LDP currently holds 23 of the 450 seats in Russia’s legislature. The party is considered to be to the right of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s dominant United Russia Party, according to Fox News, and supports Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

Per Reuters, RIA Novosti, a Russian media outlet, cited an official in LDPR’s local organization as saying that Bout had been nominated as a candidate for the legislative assembly of the Ulyanovsk region in central Russia.

“The LDPR has previously provided a home to Andrei Lugovoi, who is wanted in Britain for the 2006 murder of ex-KGB officer and Putin critic Alexander Litvinenko. Lugovoi has served as an LDPR member of Russia’s national parliament since 2007,” Reuters reported.

The “Merchant of Death” had been serving a sentence in the US after his 2008 arrest in Thailand. The US Department of Justice described him as one of the world’s most prolific arms dealers who had sold weapons across the globe to terrorists and America’s enemies for decades. Bout has always denied the charges.

PMC Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin was asked about his and Wagner’s relationship with the “Lord of War” Viktor Bout, who he was seen recently traveling with.

Prigozhin responded, “We took a trip together. Of course, we had a lot to talk about. As for the characteristics… pic.twitter.com/gutMljNyoS

— James Porrazzo (@JamesPorrazzo) June 13, 2023

Bout got his “get-out-of-jail-free” card when President Biden decided to trade him in December 2022 for Griner who was being held on drug charges in Russia. She had been sentenced to nine years in prison for possession of vape cartridges containing cannabinoids. The “Merchant of Death” served just ten years of a 25-year sentence, which was by all accounts too lenient to begin with.

Before being found guilty by the Russians, Griner apologized in court, saying she made an “honest mistake.”

“I want to apologize to my teammates, my club, my fans, and the city of (Yekaterinburg) for my mistake that I made and the embarrassment that I brought on them,” Griner said as her voice cracked with emotion.

“I want to also apologize to my parents, my siblings, the Phoenix Mercury organization back at home, the amazing women of the WNBA, and my amazing spouse back at home. I made an honest mistake, and I hope in your ruling it does not end my life,” she added.

(Video Credit: 11Alive)

The Olympic gold medallist continues to be in the headlines. Three weeks ago, YouTube personality Alex Stein harassed her at the airport in Dallas/Fort Worth on June 10. He asked whether it was a fair trade for the “Merchant of Death.” Then he jokingly asked Griner if it was true she had to sleep with Putin to get released. Stein then wanted to know if she still wanted to boycott America.

(Video Credit: Prime Time with Alex Stein)

When asked about the incident, Griner sidestepped the issue, commenting about charter flight rules for the WNBA and privacy.

“I’ll say this. I think we should have already had the option to use a different airline, a more private airline, charter flights. It’s a shame that it had to get to rock bottom because I feel like waiting for something to happen and then making a change,” Griner commented, according to ESPN.

“…You don’t know what that ‘something’s’ gonna be. We’ve all seen what can happen in this world. And when you play the, ‘Let’s-wait-and-see-game,’ you’re really playing with fire. You’re playing with people’s lives. So I’m glad that they finally got it together,” she asserted.

WNBA, media FREAK after Brittney Griner is asked about being traded for ‘Merchant of Death’ https://t.co/k6b0CtTrkA pic.twitter.com/tdvIKiwLCt

— Conservative News (@BIZPACReview) June 14, 2023

It was her team’s second road trip since Griner ended her 10-month imprisonment in Russia.

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