Russia's Man of War: The Extraordinary Viktor Bout

by Cathy Scott-Clark

Viktor Bout was the 'Merchant of Death,' according to the US National Security Council, CIA, and MI6, a terrorist facilitator and the world’s most prolific arms dealer. They tracked him everywhere, smuggling weapons from North Korea and across the former Soviet Union, into the world’s bloodiest conflict zones from Liberia to Afghanistan. They said he was a secret asset of the KGB and its successor agencies, the White House describing him as the most dangerous man in the world. But Bout strenuously denied this, describing himself as a businessman. US investigators hunted him for more than a decade. In 2008, they finally trapped him in Thailand and extradited him to New York, where he was jailed for 25 years. Then in December 2022, Bout’s story took an unlikely turn. President Joe Biden pardoned him and sent him home to Moscow, in a prisoner exchange for basketball super star Britney Griner, jailed in Russia on a drugs offence. As Griner settled back into her American life, Bout cosied up with doomed Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin, Chechen strongman Ramzan Kadyrov and Russian governors Putin installed in occupied Ukraine. Does America’s extraordinary decision to release Bout for Griner undermine Western interests? Has Putin put him back to work in his old business? Based on candid interviews with US investigators and Viktor Bout himself, this book reveals the true story of the 'Merchant of Death.'

Genres: Nonfiction, Russia, Biography

424 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2025

About the author

Cathy Scott-Clark is a British journalist and author. She has worked with the Sunday Times and The Guardian. She has co-authored six books with Adrian Levy.

Reviews

[Kimijo · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Merchant of Death chronicles Viktor Bout, the world’s most notorious arms dealer, from his secretive global operations and decade-long pursuit by U.S. authorities to his extradition, imprisonment, and surprising 2022 release in a high profile prisoner swap. Through exclusive interviews, the book examines his true role, lingering dangers, and the geopolitical implications of his return to Russia.

[Philip Seib · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of useful information about the scope and mechanics of arms dealing, but sometimes too much. Also, the many typos throughout the book are distracting.

[Joaquin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Demasiado complaciente con el traficante de armas.