MOSCOW. June 7 (Interfax) - The family of businessman Viktor Bout, who was convicted in the U.S. for arms dealing and sentenced to 25 years in prison, is unaware of whether any negotiations are under way to swap him for retired Federal Security Service (FSB) Col. Valery Mikhailov, who was sentenced to 18 years in prison for spying for the CIA on Wednesday.
"I have heard this from the media, but unfortunately there has been no official talk. We would be glad if this happened, but this question should be addressed to the appropriate institutions," Viktor Bout's brother Sergei told Interfax.
Kommersant reported on Thursday that Bout or pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko convicted in the U.S. for plotting to smuggle cocaine could be swapped for Mikhailov.