Viktor Bout, the infamous Russian arms dealer who spent years in a U.S. prison and was swapped for WNBA star Brittney Griner in December 2022, appears to be back in the gun trafficking business. Or perhaps he never really left. According to an exclusive report by the Wall Street Journal, citing European security sources and anonymous informants, Bout is attempting to broker the sale of small arms to Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi militants.
A close associate of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Bout’s connections raise concerns about his renewed involvement in global arms trafficking. Known as “the Merchant of Death,” this former KGB officer has a notorious history of supplying weapons to rogue nations and rebel groups across the globe. The reported deal in Yemen, while excluding larger Russian weapons like anti-ship or anti-air missiles, is a concerning development. The arms transfer is not yet finalized, and independent verification of the claims remains unavailable.
Bout’s lawyer, Steve Zissou, denies his client’s involvement in the arms trade, stating that Bout has been out of the transportation business for over two decades. He argues that if the Russian government authorized Bout to facilitate the transfer of arms to an American adversary, it would be no different than the U.S. sending weapons to a Russian adversary, like Ukraine. Despite this, the WSJ reported that Zissou declined to address whether Bout had met with the Houthis. A Houthi spokesman also refused to comment.
Since returning to Russia following the prisoner swap, Bout has maintained a low profile while aligning himself with the Kremlin-backed ultranationalist Liberal Democratic Party. His notoriety predates his 2008 arrest, having built a reputation as one of the world’s most notorious arms traffickers over nearly two decades. His infamous career even inspired the 2005 Hollywood film “Lord of War,” starring Nicolas Cage as Yuri Orlov, an arms dealer loosely based on Bout.
While the reported arms deal in Yemen remains unconfirmed, the potential for Bout’s re-emergence in the global arms market is a cause for serious concern. His past activities and his connections to the Kremlin raise questions about the potential for destabilizing arms flows and increased conflict in the region and beyond. The international community will be watching closely to see if this report of Bout’s involvement in the arms trade proves true.
