Russia issues arrest warrant for Lindsey Graham over Ukraine comments

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 Vladiir 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."