Russia places US senator on wanted list over remarks during Ukraine visit

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) – Russia on Monday announced that it has placed US Senator Lindsey Graham on its wanted list over comments he made during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv, state media reported.

"Graham Lindsey Olin, American, born July 9, 1955, is wanted under the article of the Criminal Code," the Russian Interior Ministry said, according to state news agency TASS.

A day earlier, Russia announced it opened a criminal case against Graham over the comments he made, which it described as “Russophobic.”

“Chairman of the Investigative Committee of Russia A.I. Bastrykin instructed the Main Investigation Department to initiate a criminal investigation into the statements of the US senator about the murder of Russians,” a statement by the Russian Investigative Committee read on Sunday.

It also said investigators of the Russian Investigative Committee will give “a proper legal assessment” to the case.

During a meeting with Zelenskyy in Ukraine's capital Kyiv on Friday, Graham was recorded as saying in a video shared by the Ukrainian president’s Telegram account: “The Russians are dying … Best money we’ve ever spent.”

In response to the video, Russian officials slammed Graham’s comments, with the Kremlin saying that it is difficult “to imagine a greater shame for the country (the US) than having such senators.”​​​​​​​