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Gun running and such
Russia has had Viktor Bout on their prisoner exchange shoplifting list for a long time.
https://sports.yahoo.com/russias-asking-price-for-brittney-griner-may-be-notorious-arms-trafficker-004449470.html
Reports: Russia wants 'Merchant of Death' in exchange for Brittney Griner
While one Russian state media report quoted an unnamed source who described a potential Griner-for-Bout exchange as “likely,” experts in Russian diplomacy viewed that skeptically. William Pomeranz, a professor of Russian law and the acting director of the Kennan Institute, told Yahoo Sports that he interprets the reports as a signal that “Russia really wants to make that trade” but cautioned that they give no indication of the U.S.’s willingness.
Reports: Russia wants 'Merchant of Death' in exchange for Brittney Griner
While one Russian state media report quoted an unnamed source who described a potential Griner-for-Bout exchange as “likely,” experts in Russian diplomacy viewed that skeptically. William Pomeranz, a professor of Russian law and the acting director of the Kennan Institute, told Yahoo Sports that he interprets the reports as a signal that “Russia really wants to make that trade” but cautioned that they give no indication of the U.S.’s willingness.
Maybe we should release him... Not to Russia but maybe work release...
There's work that needs to be done in Ukraine... Running guns...
Viktor Bout was one of a handful of actual arms dealers aggregated into the character of Yuri Orlov in the movie Lord of War.
"I was an equal opportunity merchant of death. I supplied every army but the Salvation Army. I sold Israeli-model Uzis to Muslims. I sold Communist-made bullets to Fascists... I even shipped cargo to Afghanistan when they were fighting my fellow Soviets. I never sold to Osama bin Laden. Not on any moral grounds: back then, he was always bouncing checks."
But seriously, Bout should not be released. While there are times when governments operate under the code, "The enemy of my enemy is my friend." We should not. This is not the case in Ukraine. The bloody and illegal invasion of Ukraine makes measures taken to end the Russian aggression and war crimes justified.
I am critical of our government in times when its moral flexibility sees no conflict between supporting foreign conflicts by shipping, among other things, assault rifles while maintaining here at home an assault weapons ban.
Foreign diplomacy is at times a dirty business. The world has become a rather small place. The effects of easily portable currency gives us prosperity along with the plague of a prime means to pay for war and genocide. SWIFT has taken over some from blood diamonds. I'd like to know that we have a diplomatic standard that's close to being objective about international financial support and arms dealings. ITAR restrictions are a good start.
For more info on Bout: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2012/03/05/disarming-viktor-bout