British Foreign Secretary calls Putin leader of ‘mafia state’ and compares him to slave owner

Lammy criticized Putin’s behavior during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, referring to the days of slavery, and accused the Russian government of violating international law.

“Your invasion is in your own interest. Only in your interest. To expand your mafia state into a mafia empire. An empire built on corruption.

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Mr. President, I speak not only as a Briton, as a Londoner, and as a Foreign Minister. But I say to the Russian representative, on the telephone as I speak, that I also stand here as a black man whose ancestors were taken from Africa in chains, with a gun in their hand, to be enslaved, whose ancestors rose up and fought in a great uprising of the enslaved.

Imperialism: I know it when I see it. And I will call it what it is,” he said.

Lammy’s speech comes as Ukraine is lobbying intensively for permission to use Western long-range missiles, including the British Storm Shadows, to strike targets deep inside Russia.

The Times reported that the US and UK apparently preparing to grant Ukraine permission to use Storm Shadow missiles to attack Russian territory, but the announcement would not be made public to maintain the element of surprise for Russia.