Moskalkova called the exchange of Bout and Greiner a New Year’s gift

The exchange of American basketball player Brittney Griner for Russian Viktor Bout in Abu Dhabi can be considered a New Year’s gift. Such a statement did Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation Tatyana Moskalkova in a conversation with TASS.

“The exchange of Viktor Bout for the American basketball player Greiner can be called a truly New Year’s gift,” she said.

Moskalkova noted that Bout was “a victim of American insinuations.” According to her, the feeling of joy from the results of the negotiations between Moscow and Washington on the exchange “overwhelms everyone.”

December 8 at Abu Dhabi Airport took place the exchange of American Brittney Griner for Russian Viktor Bout, the information was confirmed by the Russian Foreign Ministry. Vice-President of the Russian branch of the International Committee for the Protection of Human Rights Ivan Melnikov addedthat Greiner and Booth were pardoned before the exchange, they will not have to serve their sentences in their countries.

The Foreign Ministry also pointed to difficult negotiations with the American side. The Russian agency said that Washington had long refused to include Bout in the exchange scheme, but Moscow “continued active work to rescue” the Russian. US President Joe Biden, in turn, noted tension in negotiations.

In August, it became known that Washington sent Moscow an offer to exchange the Russian Viktor Bout for the Americans Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan. Later, the CNN channel reported that the Russian side demanded to exchange not only Bout, but also the former Russian intelligence officer Vadim Krasikov, who was convicted in Germany last year.

On August 4, the Khimki court sentenced basketball player Greiner to 9 years in prison for drug smuggling. Also, the basketball player must pay a fine of 1 million rubles. Whelan was arrested in Moscow at the end of 2018 on suspicion of espionage. He is currently serving a 16-year sentence. Bout was sentenced by a US court to 25 years in prison in 2012. He was found guilty on several counts, including being convicted of conspiracy to sell weapons.

Paul Whelan was not included in the exchange scheme. The prisoner’s brother, David Whelan, said that the American authorities notified the family in advance, transmits TASS. According to him, Whelan’s relatives are disappointed with this decision. At the same time, Biden said that Washington would continue negotiations with Moscow on the release of Whelan.

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