Sen Graham’s call for Putin’s assassination ‘criminal’ — Russia
Russia’s ambassador to the United States, Anatoly Antonov, has called US senator Lindsey Graham‘s comments advocating for the assassination of Russian president, Vladimir Putin as “unacceptable and outrageous”.
He said the statements represent “off the scale” hatred in the United States toward Russia.
He therefore called for a reprimand and “official explanations and a strong condemnation of the criminal statements.”
Meanwhile, the administration of President Joe Biden of the United States of America has distanced itself from advocating for regime change in Russia.
The White House on Friday responded to a U.S. senator’s call for Russians to assassinate Putin.
“That is not the position of the U.S. government and certainly not a statement you’ll hear from — coming from the mouth of — anybody working for the administration,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters in response to a question from Voice of America.
Senator Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, suggested in a televised interview Thursday evening that “somebody in Russia” should assassinate Putin. He repeated his statement Friday in another televised appearance on Fox News Channel.
“How does this end? Somebody in Russia has to step up to the plate … and take this guy out,” Graham told Fox News host Sean Hannity.
After the interview, Graham posted on Twitter, “The only people who can fix this are the Russian people.”
“Is there a Brutus in Russia? Is there a more successful Colonel Stauffenberg in the Russian military?” the senator wrote, in reference to Marcus Junius Brutus who assassinated Roman ruler Julius Caesar; and German army officer, Claus von Stauffenberg, who unsuccessfully to assassinate German leader Adolf Hitler in July 1944.
Many U.S. lawmakers, both Democrats and Republicans, equally criticized Graham’s comments.
Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz called Graham’s proposal “an exceptionally bad idea,” while Democratic representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota tweeted: “I really wish our members of Congress would cool it and regulate their remarks as the administration works to avoid WWIII.”
Graham introduced a resolution in Congress condemning Putin and his military commanders for committing “war crimes” and “crimes against humanity” in Ukraine.
SOURCE: Voice of America
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