Who is Viktor Bout, the Russian "Merchant of Death" freed by the US?
About this episode
Prior to February 2022, the scenario of a women’s basketball star being traded for an arms dealer might have seemed inconceivable. But that’s exactly what happened last week, when Russia and the United States exchanged prisoners at Abu Dhabi airport. Phoenix Mercury player Brittney Griner was arrested a week prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine beginning, for allegedly possessing cannabis oil in her luggage upon arrival in Russia. She ended up being sentenced to nine years in prison, but her nightmare was finally brought to an end through the prisoner exchange. The cost for the United States was releasing the world’s biggest living arms dealer, Viktor Anatolievitch Bout, also known as the Merchant of Death. He had been imprisoned for 11 years in the United States. What is Bout’s background? Who did Viktor Bout sell arms to? Why was he imprisoned in the United States? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen to the latest episodes, click here: Can standing on one leg save your life? Why is physical contact important for our health? What's the ideal temperature to stay healthy at home? A Bababam Originals podcast, written and produced by Joseph Chance. In partnership with upday UK. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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