Griner and Whelan May Be Exchanged for Bout

American basketball player Brittney Griner and former police officer Paul Whelan, both imprisoned in Russia, may be exchanged for Viktor Bout, who is serving a sentence in the United States for arms trafficking.

Russia Reportedly Open to a Deal

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that a prisoner exchange proposal was sent several weeks ago. The Americans are willing to hand over Viktor Bout, who was sentenced to 25 years in prison in 2012. In the U.S., Bout was nicknamed the “Merchant of Death” for allegedly planning to sell weapons to terrorists, according to investigators. However, Viktor Bout has denied any guilt in the crimes he was accused of.

In exchange for Bout, the U.S. hopes to secure the release of Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan. Griner was detained at Sheremetyevo Airport in February 2022 for smuggling a significant amount of cannabis oil. She faces a prison sentence of five to ten years for this offense. In 2020, Whelan was sentenced to 16 years in a penal colony for espionage. Like Bout, he denied the charges and claimed there was no evidence against him in court.

Russia Has Long Sought Bout’s Return

William Pomeranz, Director of the Kennan Institute, reported that Russia has long been seeking Bout’s return. In 2019, Russian authorities tried to exchange Viktor Bout for 15 Americans but were refused. Pomeranz noted that the Russian government is ready to make a deal but may set additional conditions, such as lifting certain sanctions.

Griner Admitted to Transporting Cannabis

On July 27, Griner testified in Khimki court during her criminal trial. The basketball player stated that she used cannabinoids prescribed by a doctor to manage chronic pain. Before her arrest, Griner played for the Yekaterinburg team UMMC and had traveled to Russia for training. Due to fatigue and a busy schedule, she accidentally packed cannabis oil in her bag and brought it across the border.

According to Griner, she had no intention of importing cannabis into Russia, as she did not plan to use the prescribed medication in Yekaterinburg. American Mark Fogel, who also used cannabis to treat chronic pain after surgery, was sentenced to 14 years in prison for smuggling marijuana and hashish in large quantities. Therefore, it is unlikely that Griner will avoid prison by citing medical use as a justification.