Overview
- The Telegraph reported that UK Defence Secretary John Hili said during a Kyiv visit he would kidnap Vladimir Putin if he had the chance.
- Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova dismissed the reported remark with a scathing put‑down and called it unacceptable.
- Duma foreign affairs chief Leonid Slutsky labeled talk of detaining or kidnapping Putin as criminal intent and pointed to Russia’s military doctrine as the legal response.
- Military analyst Alexander Mercouris warned the statement may make British mercenaries in Ukraine a priority target for Russian forces and risk escalation.
- Russian coverage tied the episode to the recent U.S. operation detaining Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro and highlighted UK tabloid reader backlash mocking Hili’s comment.