ST. PETERSBURG, June 20. /TASS/. Russian Liberal Democratic Party member Viktor Bout presented over 40 paintings, which he created while in prison in the US, at the Museum of Political History in St. Petersburg Tuesday. The exhibition also includes a t-shirt signed by Brittney Griner - the US athlete that Bout was exchanged for - as well as the politician’s personal belongings.

"There was an order from Washington - to hand me over without any belongings. But then, everything that was in the prison cell - including food and the slippers I wore - was collected and handed over to the embassy. One month later, I received all these belongings - and the only thing I want is to never see them again; however, we decided that we must show some of these items at the exhibition in order to explain the hypocrisy of the American regime, their justice, to show how it all looks in reality," he said.

The exhibition, entitled "My coastline in a thin line," includes over 40 of Bout’s paintings; it will be open until July 4. Earlier, copies of about 20 works of art done in pencil and watercolor were presented at the Russian National Library; the current exhibition includes only original works.

Viktor Bout was repatriated after Russia and the US came to an agreement on his exchange for US basketball player Brittney Griner. Bout was detained in 2008 in Bangkok over an arrest warrant issued at the US’ request. The Russian national was accused of arms sales to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, which Washington considers a terrorist organization. Two years later, Bout was extradited to the US. In April 2012, he was sentenced to 25 years in prison and fined $15 million.