Kremlin Forced to Distance Itself From Maria Zakharova’s 9/11 Comments

The Russian Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson is no stranger to outlandish claims, having also recently said that illegal organ harvesting in Ukraine is “accepted and proven fact.”

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova attends the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) in Saint Petersburg on June 16, 2022. (Photo by Olga MALTSEVA / AFP)

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, has raised more than a few eyebrows after comparing the recent drone strikes on Moscow with the 9/11 attacks in New York. 

Speaking on the Soloviev Live TV channel, Zakharova said: “Let’s take a look at another example: the 9/11 attack on the Twin Towers. It caused an enormous number of casualties but the methods were the same.

“The Moscow City district is a civilian site, which only hosts offices and a business center, along with living quarters – a great number of residential apartments – as well as civilian administrative buildings that have nothing to do with the military.

“We are seeing the same picture now, as if it is repeating itself.” 

Zakharova’s comments were mocked on social media and even the Kremlin distanced itself from the comparison.

Putin’s Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov said the Kremlin “doesn’t see” any analogy between the events, Meduza reported.

The 9/11 attacks killed nearly 3,000 people and completely destroyed the Twin Towers.

The drone strikes in Moscow shattered some windows and caused no casualties.

According to the UN, as of June 19 2023, 9,083 civilians have been killed and 15,779 injured since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. 

Since October of last year, Moscow has launched hundreds of missile and drone attacks against civilian infrastructure in Ukrainian cities – in May alone, Russia launched 563 missiles and Iranian-made Shahed drones

On social media, commentators highlighted just how ridiculous Zakharova’s comments were.

Former US ambassador Steven Pifer mocked up a side-by-side image of what Zakharova claimed was “the same picture.”

https://twitter.com/steven_pifer/status/1686366890099425280/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1686366890099425280%7Ctwgr%5Eeacd2b23987691536cc628878345db78444b1666%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.kyivpost.com%2Fpost%2F20095

Another account used a grim cartoon to illustrate Russia’s apparent logic.

https://twitter.com/GlasnostGone/status/1686292559960698881/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1686292559960698881%7Ctwgr%5Eeacd2b23987691536cc628878345db78444b1666%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.kyivpost.com%2Fpost%2F20095

Zakharova is no stranger to outlandish claims – in May, without reference to any evidence and obviously unchallenged by TASS, Zakharova said that illegal organ harvesting in Ukraine is an “accepted and proven fact.”

“This is a big business in armed conflict zones, extremely profitable for those who run it,” Zakharova said.

“The existence of this terrible bloody business is impossible without sponsorship at the highest government level.”

https://www.kyivpost.com/post/20095

2 comments

  1. This creature needs stringing up on the nearest lamppost. Not only is it a disgraceful comparison, it was russia that caused the damage to these buildings when they intercepted the drones.

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