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Viktor Bout Allegedly Attempting to Sell Weapons to Houthis

Viktor Bout Allegedly Attempting to Sell Weapons to Houthis

According to Western officials, Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout is attempting to negotiate a deal with Houthi militants in Yemen.

The discussions between Bout and the Iran-backed group have been ongoing for a while; however, no agreement has been finalized, and no arms have been transferred, the officials reported.

Referred to as the “Merchant of Death” by U.S. authorities, Bout was arrested in a U.S.-led sting operation in Thailand in 2008. He was subsequently extradited to the U.S. and imprisoned but was released in December 2022 as part of a prisoner swap that secured the freedom of American basketball star Brittney Griner from a Russian prison.

Brokering Bout’s release has been a long-standing priority for Russian President Vladimir Putin. While Western intelligence agencies lack direct evidence that Putin instructed Bout to reenter the arms trade, officials assert that Bout would not have resumed his activities without the Kremlin’s implicit endorsement. They noted that had an arms deal with the Houthis posed a threat to Russia’s interests, the Kremlin would have intervened to prevent it.

Russia has been exploring various weapons agreements with the Houthis, and Bout’s negotiations are just one component of those efforts. His initial deal, as previously reported by The Wall Street Journal, involved a potential transfer of small arms to the Houthis.

Western officials suspect that other Russian officials and arms dealers are also engaged in negotiations to supply missiles to the Houthis from Russia.

The provision of more advanced and precise weaponry to the Houthis would enable them to more effectively target Israel and strike vessels in the Red Sea.

While no arms or missiles have yet been transferred, Western officials indicated that Bout continues to coordinate his deal with the Houthis.

Officials believe the Kremlin is taking a measured approach, using its negotiations with the Houthis to send a message to the West. Should Britain, France, or the United States approve long-range missile strikes into Russia, Western officials expect the Kremlin to finalize the deal with the Houthis as part of a strategy to escalate tensions and apply pressure on the West without escalating into direct conflict with the United States.

Bout has consistently denied allegations of arms smuggling. Both he and the Kremlin have dismissed reports about the deal with the Houthis.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov termed the reports as “fake or informational attacks on our elected representatives” during a call with reporters on Monday.

In an interview with RBC, a Russian economic publication, Bout labeled the Wall Street Journal article a hoax, yet he praised the Houthis for effectively achieving results despite facing “insufficient resources.”

He noted that they had shot down more than ten American reconnaissance drones over the past year and claimed that American and Israeli merchant ships faced significant challenges navigating the Red Sea.

However, Western officials believe that Bout’s activities and the broader negotiations with the Houthis are part of a strategic effort to prepare for a potential escalation if the U.S. and its allies increase support for Ukraine.

Alongside a heightened sabotage campaign in Europe, Russia is reportedly contemplating a broad initiative to aid groups, including the Houthis, that are challenging the United States and its allies, especially if Washington lifts restrictions on the use of U.S.-made weaponry.

Recent U.S. intelligence assessments suggest that Putin is likely to respond with greater force if the Biden administration permits Ukraine to deploy U.S.-made weapons deep into Russia.

The evaluation outlines various potential Russian responses to any decision allowing long-range strikes using U.S. and European-supplied missiles, including intensified acts of arson and sabotage targeting facilities in Europe, as well as potential attacks on U.S. and European military bases.

In a past interview with the New York Times, Bout expressed that he needed time to adapt to using a smartphone and remarked that he had very little left in terms of business and personal life, claiming that he had minimal old contacts remaining.

After returning to Russia in late 2002, Bout aligned with the Kremlin-backed, far-right Liberal Democratic Party. In July 2023, he secured a seat in the Legislative Assembly of Ulyanovsk, a region with 1.3 million people located about 700 kilometers east of Moscow.

In his interview with the Times, he acknowledged establishing a business consulting firm but dismissed any possibility of returning to his previous career, which he insisted was “completely focused on logistics, distinct from arms sales.”

On Monday, he informed RBC that he was in the process of developing a script for a feature film about his life.

“We are preparing to respond to Hollywood,” he stated, adding that today’s “clickbait” serves as an intriguing plot for an episode in the series currently being prepared.

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