Antonov spoke about the plans of Russian diplomats to meet with Bout in the near future.
According to him, the prisoner is in a "terrible" condition.
“All the time he thinks that maybe tomorrow or the day after tomorrow the moment will come when he will be able to return to his homeland.
We are doing everything possible to ensure that this happens as soon as possible, ”TASS quoted him as saying.
Earlier, CNN, citing sources, reported that US President Joe Biden supported a plan to exchange Bout for Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan.
Also, according to the channel, Russia allegedly asked the United States for an exchange list, in addition to Viktor Bout, Russian Vadim Krasikov.
The wife of businessman Victor Bout, convicted in the United States, Alla, in a conversation with RT, expressed the hope that the statements of the American authorities about the possible exchange of a Russian for US citizens Greiner and Whelan would not turn out to be empty words.