Russian Viktor Bout talks Griner, prisoner swap, arms case - ESPN

Viktor Bout, the so-called Russian «Merchant of Death» involved in a prisoner exchange for WNBA star Brittney Griner in December, says he followed Griner's case closely from federal prison in Illinois and learned he was being swapped for her when guards came to his cell with boxes early the morning of his release.

In an exclusive interview with ESPN, Bout says he recalled hearing a knock on his cell door and being told, «Hey, you know, wake up and pack up. You're leaving.»

«Then,» Bout recalled, «I realized, yes, I'm going home.»

Bout, 56, and Griner, 32, were freed and returned to their respective countries Dec. 8, 2022, in a dramatic prisoner exchange on the tarmac of an airport in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Since his release, Bout has declared his support for Russian President Vladimir Putin and the invasion of Ukraine, and been nominated for a seat in a regional legislative assembly in central Russia. Elections there are Sunday.

After her release, Griner returned to play for the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury, who host their final home game Friday against Las Vegas then play their final game of the season Sunday afternoon at Las Vegas. The Mercury missed the playoffs this year, snapping the league's longest streak of 10 consecutive seasons.

Russian authorities detained Griner at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport on Feb. 17, 2022, while she was traveling to Russia to play for club team UMMC Ekaterinburg. Customs officials found vape cartridges with oil derived from cannabis in her backpack. There was no public announcement of her arrest until March 5, 2022. Her plight unfolded at the same time Russia was invading Ukraine and further heightened tensions between Russia and the U.S. On July 7, 2022, Griner pleaded guilty to