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Putin, Bout won't cross paths at Vnukovo airport — spokesman

Earlier, Dmitry Peskov said that Putin would fly to Bishkek in the afternoon to take part in the summit of the Eurasian Economic Union

MOSCOW, December 8. /TASS/. The departure of Russian President Vladimir Putin from Moscow’s Vnukovo-2 airport and the arrival of businessman Viktor Bout, who was recently released from US custody, will not overlap, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov has told TASS.

"At different times," he said, answering a question as to whether the president might cross paths with Bout at the airport or whether his departure on Thursday for the summit in Bishkek and the arrival of the plane carrying Bout would happen at different times.

Earlier, Peskov said that Putin would fly to Bishkek in the afternoon to take part in the summit of the Eurasian Economic Union.

A law enforcement source told TASS that the plane carrying Bout, swapped for US basketball player Brittney Griner, will land at Moscow’s Vnukovo-2 airport. Later reports said that the plane landed in Makhachkala, Dagestan, for refueling, after which the flight to Moscow will be continued.

Earlier on Thursday, the Russian Foreign Ministry reported that Russian citizen Viktor Bout was returning to Russia as a result of an agreement with the US to exchange him for American basketball player Brittney Griner.

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