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Viktor Bout calls on Russians to be on alert in unfriendly countries

Bout pointed out that Americans often plot provocations, like the one that happened to him, in the countries that they can put pressure on, so they "can simply put [detainees] on a plane right after the arrest and send them to the [United] States"

MOSCOW, December 16. /TASS/. Viktor Bout, a Russian national who was released from a US prison, has called on Russians to remain vigilant when visiting unfriendly and neutral countries, he said on the Rossiya-24 news channel on Friday.

"I would certainly like to tell every Russian, who is going to, first of all, unfriendly countries, as well as neutral countries, to be very careful," he said. "Please, be very cautious and maintain a high level of vigilance".

Bout pointed out that Americans often plot provocations, like the one that happened to him, in the countries that they can put pressure on, so they "can simply put [detainees] on a plane right after the arrest and send them to the [United] States".

Viktor Bout was returned to Russia as a result of an agreement with the US to exchange him for American basketball player Brittney Griner. Bout was detained in Thailand’s capital of Bangkok in 2008 under a warrant issued by a local court at the behest of the US. He was charged with illegally supplying weapons to a rebel group known as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, which is designated as a terrorist organization by the US. Bout was extradited to the United States two years later. In April 2012, he was sentenced to 25 years in jail and slapped with a $15-million fine.

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