Photo Credit: Dmitry Serebryakov / DPA; Christophe Archambault / AFP

Russian Officials Request To Add Convicted Murderer To Brittney Griner Prisoner Swap

Russia and the U.S. are currently negotiating about a prisoner swap, that would send Brittney Griner and  Paul Whelan, who has been held by Russia since 2018, home.

As previously reported, president Joe Biden and his administration have offered to exchange Viktor Bout, as part of a deal that would send Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan, who has been held by Russia since 2018, home.

Bout used his air transport companies to smuggle weapons from Eastern Europe to Africa and the Middle East during the 1990s and early 2000s, was convicted by a jury in New York City of conspiracy to kill U.S. citizens and officials, delivery of anti-aircraft missiles, and providing aid to a terrorist organization, and was sentenced to 25 years’ imprisonment in 2011. His person has been the inspiration for Nicholas Cage’s character in the Lord of War.

But while this swap already feels relatively ‘unfair’, if we take the respective criminal offenses into consideration, Russia reportedly wants even more in return.

According to CNN, the Russians communicated that they also wanted Vadim Krasikov, who was convicted in December of murdering a former Chechen fighter in Berlin, and sentenced to life in prison, released.

“The request was seen as problematic for several reasons, the sources told CNN, among them that Krasikov remains in German custody. As such, and because the request was not communicated formally but rather through the FSB backchannel, the US government did not view it as a legitimate counter to the US’ offer which was first revealed by CNN on Wednesday.”