Ukraine war: Russia puts US Senator Lindsey Graham on wanted list
- Russia denounced remarks by US Senator Lindsey Graham that appear to cheer on Russian deaths in Ukraine
- Dismissing criticism, Graham praised Ukrainian resistance and said the ‘Russia propaganda machine is hard at work’
Russia’s interior ministry has put US Senator Lindsey Graham on a wanted list, Russian media reported on Monday, citing the ministry’s database.
In an edited video released by the Ukrainian president’s office of Graham’s meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday, Graham was shown saying “the Russians are dying” and then saying US support was the “best money we’ve ever spent”.
After Russia criticised the remarks, Ukraine released a full video of the meeting which showed the two remarks were not linked.
Russia’s Investigative Committee said on Sunday that it was opening a criminal probe into Graham’s comments. It did not specify what crime he was suspected of.
In Russia, the comments caused a swell of outrage. Before the criminal proceedings were initiated, the Russian leadership had already verbally criticised Graham.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov spoke of a “disgrace” that such senators represented the United States. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova declared that US investments had caused World War II and the Holocaust.