A criminal case was launched in Moscow on Thursday after a retired U.S. general said the only way for the United States to impact the Ukraine crisis would be by killing Russians.
Speaking with Fox News about the Ukraine conflict on Tuesday, retired Major General Robert Scales said, "The only way the United States can have any effect in this region and turn the tide is to start killing Russians — killing so many Russians that even Putin's media can't hide the fact that Russians are returning to the motherland in body bags." The context of his statement suggested that his words were rhetoric, rather than a call to arms.
Announcing the criminal case Thursday, Russia's Investigative Committee described Scales' words as a call to Washington, the U.S. military top brass and the American people at large to "conduct military operations on the Ukrainian territory and to kill Russian citizens, as well as Russian-speaking people."
The case was launched under the article of Russia's Criminal Code that prohibits "public calls to unleash an aggressive warfare, made with the use of media outlets."
If arrested and convicted by a Russian court, Scales faces up to five years in prison. However, the likelihood of Russia successfully gaining custody of Scales is minuscule.
Scales is a former commandant of the U.S. Army War College. He has served in West Germany, South Vietnam and South Korea.
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