Particle.news
Download on the App Store
7 ARTICLES
·
1h ago

Putin Hails Charlie Kirk as a Hero, Says Killing Shows a ‘Deep Rift’ in the U.S.

The Valdai remarks recast the Utah shooting as part of Kremlin messaging on Ukraine.

THIS IMAGE WAS DIRECTLY PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY AND HAS NOT BEEN VETTED FOR EDITORIAL ACCURACY BY THE AP EDITORIAL TEAM. THE IMAGE MAY CONTAIN REFERENCES THAT DO NOT ADHERE TO AP’S EDITORIAL STANDARDS CONCERNING THE CONFLICT IN UKRAINE. AP ALSO CANNOT INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY, THE DATE, LOCATION OR CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH IT WAS SHOT. 9018454 02.10.2025 Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a plenary session "The Polycentric World: Instructions for Use" of the Valdai International Discussion Club in Sochi, Krasnodar region, Russia. Grigory Sysoev / Sputnik via AP
Image
Image
Image

Overview

  • Speaking at the Valdai forum in Sochi, Vladimir Putin condemned the on‑camera assassination as a “disgusting atrocity,” offered condolences to Charlie Kirk’s family, and said the killing reflected a deep divide in American society with no need for Russia to escalate externally.
  • Putin framed Kirk as a defender of conservative values he said Russia shares, likened him to Michael Gloss, and noted a posthumous Russian honor delivered to Trump envoy Steve Witkoff.
  • He warned that any U.S. move to supply Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine would mark a new stage of escalation and seriously damage Moscow‑Washington relations, while asserting it would not change the battlefield.
  • Putin praised President Donald Trump’s recent diplomacy, calling their August Alaska meeting productive, and dismissed Trump’s “paper tiger” label for Russia.
  • In Utah, prosecutors continue the case against 22‑year‑old Tyler Robinson, who faces aggravated homicide and related charges that could bring the death penalty, with a next court appearance set for October 30 and prosecutors citing voluminous evidence.