On January 11, Maria Zakharova, a spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, responded to British Defense Minister John Healey's remarks about "kidnapping Putin": "A bizarre fantasy of Britain." Earlier, Healey told reporters in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, that he would choose to kidnap Russian President Putin, referencing the precedent of kidnapping Venezuelan President Maduro. He said he hoped to "hold the Russian president accountable."
A hypothetical response by the British Defense Minister in front of the ruins of Kyiv was denounced by the Russian Foreign Ministry as "a madman's dream" and "a perverted obscene fantasy," instantly escalating the diplomatic tensions between Britain and Russia.
During his visit to Kyiv on January 9, British Defense Minister John Healey was asked by Ukrainian media reporters, "If you could choose to kidnap a world leader, who would it be?" Healey replied that he would "arrest Putin and hold him accountable for war crimes." The reporter praised his "courageous" attitude and called him "legendary."
Russia's strong rebuttal:
On January 11, Maria Zakharova, a spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, criticized the statement during a television interview, calling it "Britain's bizarre daydream" and "a madman's dream," emphasizing that such provocations crossed the diplomatic boundary and trampled upon Russia's national dignity.
According to international law, serving heads of state enjoy judicial immunity. Healey's remarks were criticized as openly violating the basic principles of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. Zakharova pointed out that such statements equated to a "declaration of war" against Russia.
Netizens compared the U.S. previous incident of kidnapping Venezuelan President Maduro, criticizing Britain for selectively ignoring international law and exposing the hegemonic logic of "might makes right" in the West.
This statement reflects Britain's strategic anxiety. Analysts believe that Healey's remarks are actually a projection of the failure of Britain's policy toward Russia amid the Ukraine-Russia stalemate. Despite providing over £1 billion in aid to Ukraine, Britain has failed to change the battlefield situation, using extreme rhetoric to shift domestic economic pressure and reinforce its image as a "frontline opponent of Russia."
US captures the President of Venezuela
Original: toutiao.com/article/1854126448902156/
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