Russian Official Wants To Strike Alaska, Media Wants Sen. Graham Assassinated Over Edited Statement

An edited video of South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham's statements regarding U.S. assistance to war-torn Ukraine has caused an uproar in Russia, with one media figure calling for his assassination.

Andrey Gurulyov, a deputy of the Russian State Duma, the country's lower house of parliament, suggested launching a preemptive missile strike on Alaska, which shares a maritime border with Russia, the New York Post reported.

In an interview with a Russian state-run news program, Gurulyov reportedly said there were missiles stationed near the U.S. "quite capable of scouring Alaska to the ground."

He reportedly said Russia needed "not for us to respond to the threats we are confronted with, but for them to rush around with no idea what to do next," referring to the U.S. forces.

"We have a strategic nuclear force that holds America's territory. Let me remind you, there's Alaska across the strait," Gurulyov added, according to the outlet. "It doesn't take much, a couple of brigades will suffice."

It is unclear when Gurulyov made the comments, but the television segment was shared via Twitter by former Ukrainian deputy minister of internal affairs Anton Herashchenk Friday. This was the same day Graham met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv, and a video clip from the meeting was edited in a way that made it seem the GOP lawmaker praised the U.S. dollars spent killing Russians in the ongoing war.

Margarita Simonyan, the editor-in-chief of the Russian state-controlled media outlet RT, reportedly called for Graham's assassination after the senator's edited comments surfaced.

"If Lady (sic) Graham really said that the money for the killing of Russians is the best money the US ever spent... I hope that in our country, the sons or grandchildren of Sudoplatov are alive, his pupils, or the descendants of his pupils. It's not even hard. We have his address," Simonyan said on "Sunday Evening With Vladimir Solovyov," The Daily Beast reported.

The head of RT was referring to Soviet Lieutenant General Pavel Sudoplatov, who was allegedly involved in the assassination of Russian revolutionary and politician Leon Trotsky, the outlet noted.

Simonyan reportedly argued that if they don't respond to Graham's remarks, "it is the same as encouraging them."

Other Russian officials who are closely allied with Russian President Vladimir Putin have also condemned Graham.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told Shot Telegram that Graham is a "shame" to the U.S.

Former Russian president and deputy chairperson of Russia's Security Council Dmitry Medvedev called the Republican senator an "old fool."

The uproar came after a video released by the office of Zelensky showed Graham saying, "And the Russians are dying," as they discussed the course of the war. The video then cut to Graham saying with a smile, "It's the best money we've ever spent."

But a complete transcript of the meeting released by the Ukrainian president's office revealed Graham did not link the U.S. assistance to Ukraine with the comment regarding dead Russian soldiers.

Graham told Zelensky that the Ukrainian war effort is reminiscent of "our better selves in America ... we were going to be free or die." The Ukrainian leader replied, "Now you are free—and we will be."

The South Carolina senator then commented, "And the Russians are dying," to which Zelensky responded, "Yes, but they came to our territory. We are not fighting on their territory."

In an emailed statement to Reuters Sunday, Graham shot back at the Russian criticism against him, particularly Medvedev's comments, saying, "As usual the Russia propaganda machine is hard at work."

"It has been a good investment by the United States to help liberate Ukraine from Russian war criminals," he added. "Mr. Medvedev, if you want Russians to stop dying in Ukraine, withdraw. Stop the invasion. Stop the war crimes. The truth is that you and (President Vladimir) Putin could care less about Russian soldiers."

According to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, the U.S. has committed more than $76.5 billion in assistance to Ukraine since Russia began its invasion in February 2022.

Part of the U.S. assistance is the $26.2 billion worth of military aid, which includes modern air defense systems, tanks, and munitions.