U.K.(Washington Insider Magazine) – The UK government has strongly condemned remarks made by Dmitry Medvedev, Russia’s deputy chair of the Security Council, who appeared to threaten journalists at The Times newspaper after it published an editorial on the assassination of Igor Kirillov, the head of Russia’s chemical weapons division.
Medvedev’s Telegram post referred to the editorial as “cowardly” and declared the newspaper’s entire management team as “legitimate military targets” following its commentary on the killing, which was framed as “a legitimate act of defense” by Ukraine. He also suggested that those responsible for the assassination had accomplices, including the journalists behind the article.
The UK responded by calling Medvedev’s statement a “gangster threat,” with Foreign Secretary David Lammy emphasizing the UK’s commitment to a free press. The threat has added to growing tensions between Russia and the West, as Medvedev also extended his remarks to NATO officials supporting Ukraine.
The Times has already faced retaliatory measures, including the banning of its journalists from entering Russia.
