Russia issues arrest warrant for US Senator Lindsey Graham over Ukraine comments
- Moscow had put South Carolina Republican Lindsey Graham on its wanted list following his remarks in a short video released by Ukraine’s presidential office
- Remarks he made in a short video by Ukraine’s presidential office appeared to show the senator being pleased about Russian deaths
Russia’s Interior Ministry on Monday issued an arrest warrant for US Senator Lindsey Graham following his comments related to the fighting in Ukraine.
In an edited video of his meeting on Friday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that was released by Zelensky’s office, Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, noted that “the Russians are dying” and described the US military assistance to the country as “the best money we’ve ever spent”.
While Graham appeared to have made the remarks in different parts of the conversation, the short video by Ukraine’s presidential office put them next to each other, causing outrage in Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov commented on Sunday by saying that “it’s hard to imagine a greater shame for the country than having such senators”.
Russia puts US Senator Lindsey Graham on wanted list
The Investigative Committee, the country’s top criminal investigation agency, has moved to open a criminal inquiry against Graham, and the Interior Ministry followed up by issuing a warrant for his arrest as indicated on Monday by its official record of wanted criminal suspects.
Graham commented on Twitter, saying that “to know that my commitment to Ukraine has drawn the ire of Putin’s regime brings me immense joy”.
“I will continue to stand with and for Ukraine’s freedom until every Russian soldier is expelled from Ukrainian territory,” he tweeted. “I will wear the arrest warrant issued by Putin’s corrupt and immoral government as a Badge of Honour.”
