Russia said on Friday that it hopes that a prisoner exchange with the United States, which would mainly target the Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, will be able to take place, AFP and Reuters report, Agerpres reads.

„I hope that the prospect (of an exchange) is not only current, but is getting stronger, and that the moment will come when we will get a concrete agreement”, said Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Riabkov, quoted by Russian press agencies.

Riabkov stated that negotiations are taking place ”in a professional manner”, through a ”specially dedicated channel”.

These statements come a day after the announcement regarding the transfer to a penitentiary colony in Russia of the American basketball player Brittney Griner, arrested in Moscow and convicted of ‘drug trafficking’.

Agerpres