Kremlin Slams Johnson Comparing Putin to Hitler as 'Disgusting'

TEHRAN (defapress)- Amid mounting tensions between Moscow and London over Sergei Skripal case, UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson compared Russia to Nazi Germany in the light of the upcoming FIFA World Cup.

News ID: 69333

Date: 22 March 2018 - 18:05

“It is absolutely outrageous statement, it does not fit the Foreign Minister of the country… It is undoubtedly offensive and unacceptable,” Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, Sputnik reported.

Earlier, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that drawing parallels between Russia that gave millions of lives in the fight against fascism and Nazi Germany are not worthy of the head of the diplomatic department of a European state.

Kremlin also expressed hope that the European countries would show wisdom amid London’s calls to expel Russian diplomats in the light of the poisoning of the former Russian intelligence officer.

Media reported on Wednesday that UK Prime Minister Theresa May was expected to urge the EU leaders at the European Council summit to expel Russian diplomats over the country’s alleged involvement in the Skripal case.

Moscow reacted after Johnson agreed with a lawmaker's notion during the UK Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Select Committee meeting that Russian President Vladimir Putin was going to use the World Cup the way Hitler used the 1936 Olympics as a "PR exercise".

Johnson's statement came amid a major deterioration of ties between Moscow and London occurred after the British Prime Minister groundlessly blamed the poisoning of the ex-Russian intelligence officer on Russia and expelled 23 Russian diplomats as a punitive measure.

Russia has denied allegations of involvement in the use of a nerve agent in the UK against Skripal and have asked the British government for access to the substance used in the attack. On Saturday, Russia announced retaliatory measures against the United Kingdom, declaring 23 employees of the UK Embassy in Moscow personae non gratae in response to London's move.

Skripal and his daughter have been in hospital in critical condition since March 4.