Russia Issues Arrest Warrant for Graham05/30 06:12

Russia Issues Arrest Warrant for Graham05/30 06:12

   

   MOSCOW (AP) -- Russia's Interior Ministry on Monday issued an arrest warrant 
for U.S. 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 Zelenskyy that was released by Zelenskyy's office, Graham, a 
Republican from South Carolina, noted that "the Russians are dying" and 
described the U.S. 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 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, and the Interior 
Ministry followed up by issuing a warrant for his arrest as indicated Monday by 
its official record of wanted criminal suspects.

   Graham is among more than 200 U.S. members of Congress whom Moscow banned 
last year from entering Russia.

   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 
Honor."