PROGRESS?

Arms Dealer’s Lawyer Is ‘Confident’ Russia Will Go for Prisoner Swap

Viktor Bout’s attorney pointed out that Russia has indicated interest in getting him back for a number of years.

Arms dealer Viktor Bout’s attorney told CNN on Monday morning that he believes Russia will accept the United States’ offer to swap him for Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan. “I do have information about the progress of how things are going,” Steve Zissou said. “But that information comes from the Russian side as opposed to the American side. I’m confident this is going to get done.” Zissou explained that Russia has wanted Bout, who is serving a 25-year sentence, back for a number of years. Sources told CNN that Russian officials had asked that Vadim Krasikov, a convicted murder, be included in the offer, but such a request is complicated given that Krasikov is a German prisoner.