US to be vigilant against Bout

Assistant to the President of the United States for national security Jake Sullivan said that the US administration will monitor a possible threat from the Russian Viktor Bout. It is reported by TASS.

Asked if the administration considers Viktor Bout a terrorist, Sullivan noted that the Russian is not on the US terrorist list. “We consider him a criminal convicted of serving a sentence for arms trafficking and other crimes. He served 12 years in prison. He was due to be released in 2029. Before we decide whether to send someone back as part of a deal to bring an American home, we evaluate the national security implications of doing so. We have carried out this assessment in this case. We believe we can overcome these challenges, but we will be constantly vigilant about any threat Viktor Bout may pose to Americans, to the United States in the future,” the presidential adviser said.

“We would also like to note that Russia has no shortage of arms dealers and mercenaries who pose challenges and threats to the international order, the United States and other countries, and we are keeping a close eye on this. That is why we, together with our allies and partners, are pursuing such an active policy in relation to the threats emanating from Russia,” Sullivan said.

Recall that recently the Russian Foreign Ministry reported that Bout was returned to Russia as a result of an agreement with the United States on his exchange for the American basketball player Brittney Griner.

The Russian was detained in 2008 in Bangkok on the basis of a warrant issued by a local court at the request of the United States. Bout was accused of illegally supplying weapons to an insurgent group that is considered a terrorist group in the United States.

In the spring of 2012, he was sentenced to 25 years in prison and a fine of $15 million.