Russia issues arrest warrant for US Sen. Graham over Ukraine military aid comments

Kyiv releases edited video ostensibly showing lawmaker telling Zelensky ‘Russians are dying’ next to his statement that US assistance is ‘best money we’ve ever spent’

US Sen. Lindsey Graham speaks during a Senate Appropriations hearing on the president's proposed budget request for fiscal year 2024, on Capitol Hill in Washington, May 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
US Sen. Lindsey Graham speaks during a Senate Appropriations hearing on the president's proposed budget request for fiscal year 2024, on Capitol Hill in Washington, May 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

MOSCOW — Russia’s Interior Ministry on Monday issued an arrest warrant for US Sen. 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.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov commented Sunday by saying that “it’s hard to imagine a greater shame for the country than having such senators.”

The Investigative Committee, the country’s top criminal investigation agency, has moved to open a criminal inquiry against Graham.

The Interior Ministry followed up by issuing a warrant for his arrest as indicated Monday by its official record of wanted criminal suspects.

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