In this news item, I commented on the potential prisoner swap between the Russian illegal arms dealer Viktor Bout, and the US Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) star, Brittney Griner & former US marine Paul Whelan, both who are currently detained in Russia.
Griner is currently sentenced to nine years in prison in Russia on drug charges, which US President Joe Biden called "unacceptable".
Although there's "quiet diplomacy under way" to complete the prisoner swap, I wonder whether Bout will eventually be exchanged for Griner and/or Whelan.
There's much fear and many worries in the US government regarding Viktor Bout, as he may possess vital information about alleged illegal foreign CIA operations, in which Bout may have played a key role. If (and that's a big "if") Bout would be swapped and returned to Russia, Putin's government would have access to sensitive information about US foreign, alleged illegal activities that could be used to make the US look bad.
Whether any of it is true or not, in these times of ongoing hybrid warfare, it becomes clear smoke and mirrors can be weaponized into instruments of (des)information wars. And Viktor Bout seems to be right at the centre of it, yet again.
All the while innocent individuals, such as Griner and Whelan, fear for their lives daily.