MOSCOW, Dec 10 Russian Viktor Bout released from US prison stated that, despite the statements of the American press, he had no cooperation with the Taliban *.
«No, there was no relationship. I escaped heroically… The Taliban* put up an award for the fact that if they catch me, for my head. And after that, how can I say that I somehow cooperate with the Taliban*. It is simply unthinkable,» Bout said in an interview with RT.
Bout added that the US media accused him of transporting 200 tanks to the Taliban, saying that the US press «lost the faith of even its own citizens.» He noted that many in the United States do not trust American TV channels.
«They accused me of transporting 200 T-90 tanks to the Taliban*. What does it mean to transport 200 tanks. Is that 200 flights? To Afghanistan ? Excuse me, over which region and where is the evidence,» he added.
Bout was serving a 25-year sentence in the United States on charges of preparing a conspiracy to kill US citizens and material support for terrorism. On Thursday, he was released from a US prison after nearly 15 years in a trade for American basketball player Brittney Griner.
* The movement is under UN sanctions for terrorist activities