R&I~Smit
The Kremlin was unquestionably furious about President Joe Biden’s Wednesday interview with ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos. In contrast to former President Donald Trump’s outright refusal to condemn the Russian leader for any of his actions, when Biden was asked whether he thought Russian President Vladimir Putin was a “killer,” he succinctly replied, “Mmm-hmm, I do.”
On Thursday, Putin appeared rattled and irritated as he personally addressedBiden’s remarks during a video call with residents of Crimea marking the anniversary of its annexation from Ukraine by Russia in 2014.
Angrily glaring into the lens of the camera, Putin forced a smile and said of Biden, “I wish him good health.” The loaded response could be read as an implied threat, but it most likely refers to ongoing efforts by Kremlin-controlled state media to portray the American president as a hapless elder suffering from dementia.
To achieve this desired impression, Russian state media often airs clips of Fox News’ Tucker Carlson assailing the mental capabilities of the U.S. leader. The campaign to portray President Biden as mentally unfit started well before he was elected, and on that front—and on many others—Russian propaganda narratives seamlessly blended with those of Fox News.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Thursday that “there hasn’t been anything like this in history” and described the U.S. president’s statements as “very bad.”
Arthur Julien
Article URL : https://www.yahoo.com/news/russia-threatens-vax-sabotage-blackmail-185244149.html