Philip Crowley, a representative of the U.S. State Department, has assured observers that the case of Viktor Bout will not impact in a negative manner the development of bilateral relations with Russia. Naturally, it’s Mr. Crowley’s duty to make sure declarations. However, in actuality, and this is obvious even to the average person, the case of Bout is already having a very big impact indeed. Even now in the official speeches of Russian diplomats there sounds a note of unconcealed displeasure that the US has managed to achieve a decision on the extradition of Bout to the US. Если Вы хотите прочитать оригинал данной статьи на русском языке, нажмите сюда. And also the average Russian has grasped the basic facts: Bout is obviously mixed up in something bad, if the Russian power is so actively defending him. The power of the times of Putin so actively defends only those it loves and holds dear and who were acting beyond the border at its, the power’s instruction. That’s how it was with the Russian pilots arrested many tears ago in India; that’s how it was with the murderers of Yandarbiyev; that’s how it was with the underachieving failed Russian spies in the US…