Viktor Bout swapped for American basketball player Brittney Griner

American basketball player Brittney Griner, sentenced to nine years in prison for drug smuggling, was swapped for arms dealer Victor Bout, who was convicted in the United States. The exchange took place on Thursday at the airport in Abu Dhabi.

Information about the exchange was confirmed by the Russian Foreign Ministry. Russian Viktor Bout is already on the plane. He flies to Moscow.

Initially, the administration of US President Joe Biden offered to exchange Viktor Bout for Brittney Griner and for Paul Whelan, an American convicted in Russia for espionage, whom the State Department declared illegally detained. However, Paul Whelan was not included in the exchange, writes CNN.

Before the exchange, Victor Bout and Brittney Griner were pardoned. Upon their return, they will not have to serve their sentences in their countries, TASS writes.

Viktor Bout was detained in Bangkok in 2008. He was charged with illegal arms dealing. In 2010, he was extradited to the United States, where two years later he was sentenced to 25 years in prison. He served his sentence in an American prison. He did not admit his guilt.