— In not-so-shocking : ️ market Arms dealer Viktor Bout (a.k.a. Merchant of Death) is back on business, says an European Intelligence report

Viktor Bout, the most well-known Russian arms dealer who was jailed in the United States and then swapped two years ago for the US basketball star Brittney Griner (arrested under drug possession charges), has resumed his business: Trading weapons, according to the Wall Street Journal.

According to WSJ, Mr. Bout is doing business with Houthi militants in Northern Yemen

The negotiations between Mr. Bout and the Iran-aligned group have been in progress for some time, but no deal has been completed and no arms have been transferred, the European officials said.

According to such report, Russians have been pursuing several weapons agreements with the Houthis, as they did with other factions including the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council, and Mr. Bout’s negotiations are not the only ones underway.

Mr. Bout’s initial deal, reported earlier in The Wall Street Journal, was a potential agreement to transfer small arms to the Houthis.

Western officials believe that other Russian Intelligence officials and arms dealers are involved in potential agreements to send missiles to the Houthis from Russia.

More advanced and precise weaponry in the hands of the Houthis would allow them to target Israel more effectively and strike at ships in the Red Sea.

Old Habits never die easily, some say

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