Viktor Bout, the notorious Russian arms dealer dubbed the “Merchant of Death,” has reportedly returned to the international weapons trade two years after being released from American custody in exchange for WNBA player Brittney Griner. First reported by the Wall Street Journal, Bout, 57, is now attempting to broker deals with the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, supplying them with firearms and explosives to further their campaign against Israel and the US.
According to the Journal, sources close to the matter say that Bout helped the Houthi emissaries negotiate a $10 million deal to secure automatic weapons from the Kremlin.
Though the sale of thousands of rifles does not pose a significantly increased risk to the American military protecting international shipping in the Red Sea, US officials fear that it could open the door for the sale of antiair and antiship missiles, which could enable long-range strikes. There is, however, no evidence that a missile sale has taken place. The delivery of the automatic weapons is also still pending.
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If such a deal were to be negotiated, it would mark a significant escalation for Russia, moving the nation closer to direct conflict with the US in the Middle East. Russian missiles in Yemen would also pose an increased threat to Israel, with the Houthis already launching sporadic strikes in solidarity with the Gaza-based forces of Hamas.
“Viktor Bout has not been in the transportation business for over twenty years,” said Steve Zissou, a New York attorney who represented Bout in the US. “But if the Russian government authorized him to facilitate the transfer of arms to one of America’s adversaries, it would be no different than the U.S. government sending arms and weapons of mass destruction to one of Russia’s adversaries as it has sent to Ukraine.”
Bout served 12 years in an American prison after being arrested in a 2008 sting operation. His career spanned decades, during which he supplied Soviet weapons to militaries and militias in Africa, South America, and the Middle East. His exploits are said to have inspired the 2005 Nicholas Cage film “Lord of War.”
In 2022, he was traded back to Moscow in exchange for Griner, who had been arrested for carrying a marijuana vape cartridge in her luggage. At the time, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan explained that the US government had properly weighed the risks.
“We believe we can manage those challenges, but we will remain constantly vigilant against any threat that Viktor Bout may pose to Americans, to the United States going forward,” Sullivan said. “I would just point out that there is no shortage of arms traffickers and mercenaries in Russia.”
Upon his release, Bout joined Russia’s Russia’s ultranationalist, pro-Kremlin Liberal Democratic Party and became a frequent commentator on Russian television. In 2023, he won a seat in the Legislative Assembly in the Ulyanovsk region of central Russia, and has been a vocal critic of the United States.
In response to the Journal’s report, Kremlin officials dismissed the claims, saying “We are inclined to categorize it as fake news or an information attack on our elected representatives.”
Connor Walcott is a staff writer for Valuetainment.com. Follow Connor on X and look for him on VT’s “The Unusual Suspects.”
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