Former Representative Adam Kinzinger took aim at high-profile Republicans who he called “Russia lovers” on Twitter, as Russian President Vladimir Putin is currently facing a rebellion within his own country from the Wagner Group.
Wagner Group founder Yevgeny Prigozhin, who was once a Putin ally, revolted against the Russian defense ministry and accused the Russian military of attacking his group’s positions in Ukraine on Friday. He also targeted Putin by saying he launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine under false pretenses. Meanwhile, Prigozhin’s mercenary group has been participating in military operations alongside Russian forces since last February when the Russia-Ukraine war began.
In a tweet on Friday, Kinzinger, an Illinois Republican, took a shot at former President Donald Trump, GOP Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Republican Senators Ted Cruz of Texas and Josh Hawley of Missouri, as well as former Fox News host Tucker Carlson and former Representative Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii. Notably, Gabbard previously served in Congress as a Democrat, but left the political party last year and has aligned herself with conservatives on a number of issues. All of the individuals mentioned by Kinzinger have criticized U.S. military support for Ukraine, and in some cases spoken highly of Russia.
“It appears the dream of @TuckerCarlson @tedcruz @HawleyMO @TulsiGabbard @RepMTG and so many more of a strong Russia are evaporating even faster. Tag your favorite Russia lover,” he wrote.
“Good morning to everyone except those who thought Russia was a stable, strong country with which to model ourselves after. I’m thinking like @HawleyMO and @TuckerCarlson and of course Trump. Many of us knew it would fall apart. Just a bit earlier than most expected,” Kinzinger wrote in another tweet on Saturday morning.
In a Friday afternoon tweet, the former congressman mocked Carlson and Gabbard, and “all the Trumps and their toadies” as he shared news of Prigozhin’s rebellion.
In addition, Kinzinger slammed Carlson last year over his “support” of the invasion of Ukraine after new evidence of “atrocities” committed by Russian troops surfaced. Carlson has been regularly featured on Russian state television and has been utilized as propaganda by the Kremlin due to comments he has made about the war.
“Now that we have seen evidence of mass graves in Ukraine, and pictures of the atrocities against civilians, We should demand @TuckerCarlson answer for his support of this war,” Kinzinger tweeted last April.
In 2021, Cruz was accused of promoting “Russian propaganda,” while Greene has repeatedly ripped the Biden administration for sending military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine and has previously criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Trump has described Putin as “very smart” and repeatedly touted his positive relationship with the Russian leader, while criticizing the administration of President Joe Biden‘s response to the war in Ukraine.
During an appearance on CNN on Friday, Kinzinger called Prigozhin’s stance towards the Russian military a “massive blow” to Carlson, who he accused of “parroting Putin talking points” and lies.
“I think on the other hand too, this is extremely good for the war in Ukraine because even if as Prigozhin is marching on Moscow, even if that fails, Wagner is out of the fight and they were a significant part of this effort against Ukraine, not to mention that all around the world Wagner protects Russian interests, whether it’s in Africa, Libya, and other places,” Kinzinger said of the Wagner Group’s rebellion.
Newsweek reached out by email to the media representatives of Cruz, Greene, and Hawley, and to Gabbard via her website for comment.
Source : Newsweek
