Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer who served 10 years of a 25-year sentence in US prisons for arms dealing charges, has been chosen as the candidate of a far-right party for a seat in a Russian regional legislature.
Bout, once dubbed "The merchant of death," was released in December under the exchange with Olympic gold medallist Brittney Griner. Bout joined the ultra-nationalist Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR) after his return to Russia, which holds far-right, ultra-nationalist views and strongly supports President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.
The LDPR has previously provided a home to Andrei Lugovoi, who is wanted in the United Kingdom for the 2006 murder of ex-KGB officer and Putin critic Alexander Litvinenko. Lugovoi has served as an LDPR member of Russia's national parliament since 2007.
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