<p>Viktor Bout, a notorious arms dealer who was released as a result of a US prisoner swap, arrived in Russia on Thursday, state television said.</p>.<p>"Don't worry, everything is OK, I love you very much," he told his mother Raisa in comments broadcast by state television. He spoke to his family when his plane made a refuelling stop in Russia.</p>.<p>In footage broadcast on state television, Bout was shown boarding a plane during the swap with the United States, a smile on his face.</p>.<p>Aboard the plane, a nurse took his temperature and checked his blood pressure.</p>.<p>Dubbed the "Merchant of Death", Bout was released Thursday in a prisoner swap in Abu Dhabi involving American basketball star Brittney Griner.</p>.<p>He was met by his family when he arrived in Moscow, in footage shown by state news channel Rossiya 24.</p>.<p>"They simply woke me up in the middle of the night and told me to pack my things. There was no clear information beforehand," he said.</p>.<p>"I got here, that's the most important thing."</p>.<p>The 55-year-old Bout, who was accused of arming rebels in some of the world's bloodiest conflicts, was arrested in a US sting operation in Thailand in 2008, extradited to the United States and sentenced in 2012 to 25 years in prison.</p>.<p>Earlier on Thursday, Bout's mother thanked President Vladimir Putin for her son's release.</p>.<p>The release happened "thanks to our president", Raisa said in televised remarks.</p>.<p>"I am so grateful. A low maternal bow to the Russian foreign ministry with Lavrov Sergei Viktorovich at its helm," she said.</p>.<p>She said she was also grateful to "kind people" in the United States, thanking them for having "faith".</p>.<p>"You cannot say that all of them are evil," she added.</p>.<p>Bout's wife Alla said his release was a "true New Year's gift".</p>.<p>She also said Bout planned to open an exhibition of his paintings in Russia's second city, Saint Petersburg, in April.</p>.<p>The exchange comes as tensions soar between Moscow and Washington over Russia's military assault in Ukraine.</p>.<p>Russian Human Rights Commissioner Tatiana Moskalkova praised the arms dealer as a "wonderful man who has become a victim of American insinuations".</p>.<p>Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the country's diplomats were receiving messages of support from "people in Russia and abroad".</p>.<p>"Incredible!" she said on messaging app Telegram. "They are thanking the country."</p>
<p>Viktor Bout, a notorious arms dealer who was released as a result of a US prisoner swap, arrived in Russia on Thursday, state television said.</p>.<p>"Don't worry, everything is OK, I love you very much," he told his mother Raisa in comments broadcast by state television. He spoke to his family when his plane made a refuelling stop in Russia.</p>.<p>In footage broadcast on state television, Bout was shown boarding a plane during the swap with the United States, a smile on his face.</p>.<p>Aboard the plane, a nurse took his temperature and checked his blood pressure.</p>.<p>Dubbed the "Merchant of Death", Bout was released Thursday in a prisoner swap in Abu Dhabi involving American basketball star Brittney Griner.</p>.<p>He was met by his family when he arrived in Moscow, in footage shown by state news channel Rossiya 24.</p>.<p>"They simply woke me up in the middle of the night and told me to pack my things. There was no clear information beforehand," he said.</p>.<p>"I got here, that's the most important thing."</p>.<p>The 55-year-old Bout, who was accused of arming rebels in some of the world's bloodiest conflicts, was arrested in a US sting operation in Thailand in 2008, extradited to the United States and sentenced in 2012 to 25 years in prison.</p>.<p>Earlier on Thursday, Bout's mother thanked President Vladimir Putin for her son's release.</p>.<p>The release happened "thanks to our president", Raisa said in televised remarks.</p>.<p>"I am so grateful. A low maternal bow to the Russian foreign ministry with Lavrov Sergei Viktorovich at its helm," she said.</p>.<p>She said she was also grateful to "kind people" in the United States, thanking them for having "faith".</p>.<p>"You cannot say that all of them are evil," she added.</p>.<p>Bout's wife Alla said his release was a "true New Year's gift".</p>.<p>She also said Bout planned to open an exhibition of his paintings in Russia's second city, Saint Petersburg, in April.</p>.<p>The exchange comes as tensions soar between Moscow and Washington over Russia's military assault in Ukraine.</p>.<p>Russian Human Rights Commissioner Tatiana Moskalkova praised the arms dealer as a "wonderful man who has become a victim of American insinuations".</p>.<p>Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the country's diplomats were receiving messages of support from "people in Russia and abroad".</p>.<p>"Incredible!" she said on messaging app Telegram. "They are thanking the country."</p>