Russia’s Zakharova says Finnish president has “degenerated” as politician and person

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova has sharply criticised Finnish President Alexander Stubb over his support for Ukrainian strikes deep inside Russian territory, saying he has “degenerated” both as a politician and as a person.

Speaking on Sputnik radio, Zakharova mocked Stubb’s surname and described his rhetoric as a form of “degradation.”

“His rhetoric has degenerated over all these years. Degenerated in the literal sense of the word. It’s not that a person has changed his position or expressed a position. It is degradation. Degradation as a statesman, as a politician, as a person,” Zakharova said.

Her comments came after Stubb said Ukrainian strikes deep inside Russia, including attacks on Wildberries logistics centres, “increase the cost and price of the war for Russia.”

The Finnish president called such strikes a “reasonable military strategy on Ukraine’s part” and said they should be supported.