Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout has denied a report that he is brokering weapons shipments to the Houthi militia that is attacking vessels in the Red Sea.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) cited a European security official and other sources as saying the “Merchant of Death” met Houthi representatives in Moscow as part of a deal to ship guns into the Yemeni port of Hodeidah.
The RBC website said Bout claimed that the article was fabricated and timed to coincide with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s birthday on Monday.
Putin’s press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, told Reuters that the government believes the report falls into the “category of fakes”.
Bout was released by the US in a 2022 prisoner swap for basketball star Brittney Griner, who had been arrested on smuggling charges by Russian customs.
The WSJ said the first two deliveries of mainly AK-74 assault rifles could begin this month under the cover of food supplies.
Two Houthi representatives involved in the deal had travelled to Moscow on the pretext of buying pesticides and vehicles, sources said.
There they met Bout, according to a European security official and other people familiar with the matter.
The origin of any weapons involved has not been confirmed.
The newspaper claimed the sale of other weapons was also discussed.
Steve Zissou, a New York lawyer who represented Bout in the US, declined to comment on the meeting to the WSJ.
He said: “Viktor Bout has not been in the transportation business for over 20 years.”
Elected official
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels have not commented.
Bout sold Russian arms in Africa, South America and the Middle East before being arrested in 2008 by the US.
After being released, he became a local politician in Russia.
Last week, the Houthis resumed their attacks on ships in the Red Sea after a month’s hiatus.
The 76,800-dwt Greek bulker Minoan Courage (built 2013) came under attack, as well as the 163,300-dwt tanker Cordelia Moon (built 2006).
