MOSCOW, June 29 - RAPSI. The defense of Russian citizen Viktor Bout sentenced in the United States to 25 years in prison is determined to appeal the sentence as well as refer to the U.S. pardoning commission, lawyer Viktor Burobin told RIA Novosti at a news conference on Friday.

Bout was sentenced to 25 years in prison by the New York Federal Court for planning to sell arms to the leftist Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces. The U.S. agents who dealt with Bout presented themselves as the armed forces' commanders.

Bout has denied the charges against him.

U.S. Justice Minister Erik Holder said that the United States might consider an issue of sending Bout to serve his term in Russia if it gets from Russia a relevant inquiry.

The Justice Ministry specified that a trilateral consent of all parties is needed to transfer the businessman, particularly the transferring party, the receiving party and an individual serving the sentence.

The Ministry noted that Moscow is ready to discuss with Washington the opportunities for Bouts return to homeland.