I don't think the Russians will bite, and yes, this trade has been theory for a while.
I don't think the Kremlin cares much about Viktor Bout but the US sure as hell wants their operative Paul Whelan back, in a big big way. The US gives no shits about Brittney Griner.
Whelan is the big fish here, and the Russians convicted him dead to rights for spying.
To recap: Whelan speaks and reads fluent Russian, came out of the military, was busted with an incriminating thumb drive, has 4 passports and a twin brother. Classic.
Paul lived a few miles down the road from me. Crazy story, but I agree that he is the real one they want. I doubt the Russians would make such a terrible trade.
Holy fuck. I heard they were going to offer a prisoner exchange, but Bout? He's just about the second worst arms dealer of the last thirty years, second only to Adnan Kashoggi. Yes, that Kashoggi, he was the uncle of the guy the Saudis chopped up into dog food.
At this point just offer the Russians a nuke in exchange for that stupid troon, it'd do less damage.
Viktor's (fictionalized, sympathetic) Hollywood biopic still has one of the greatest movie opening music videos: https://youtu.be/VHn1zogeyO4
Yesterday I've heard this song used in a Russian paratrooper's video from Ukraine.
It's really out of date if it was a sympathetic portrayal of a Russian.
He's a Russian citizen born in the Soviet Tajikistan.
I don't think the Russians will bite, and yes, this trade has been theory for a while.
I don't think the Kremlin cares much about Viktor Bout but the US sure as hell wants their operative Paul Whelan back, in a big big way. The US gives no shits about Brittney Griner.
Whelan is the big fish here, and the Russians convicted him dead to rights for spying.
To recap: Whelan speaks and reads fluent Russian, came out of the military, was busted with an incriminating thumb drive, has 4 passports and a twin brother. Classic.
Paul lived a few miles down the road from me. Crazy story, but I agree that he is the real one they want. I doubt the Russians would make such a terrible trade.
Holy fuck. I heard they were going to offer a prisoner exchange, but Bout? He's just about the second worst arms dealer of the last thirty years, second only to Adnan Kashoggi. Yes, that Kashoggi, he was the uncle of the guy the Saudis chopped up into dog food.
At this point just offer the Russians a nuke in exchange for that stupid troon, it'd do less damage.