File photo: US Senator Lindsey Graham (Picture credit: AP)
US Senator Lindsey Graham on Thursday renewed his warning to countries purchasing Russian oil, directly naming India as facing consequences for what he called support to Moscow’s war machine.In a post on X, Graham wrote, “India, China, Brazil and others who prop up Putin’s war machine by buying cheap Russian oil: How do you feel right now that your purchases have resulted in innocent civilians, including children, being killed? India is experiencing the cost of supporting Putin. To the rest, you will soon, too.” His remarks came after a barrage of Russian missile strikes on Kyiv on Thursday that killed at least 23 people and injured dozens.According to Euro News, the attack also damaged the European Union’s diplomatic mission in the Ukrainian capital, sparking international condemnation. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the strikes as “another massive attack against our cities and communities,” confirming that rescuers were pulling survivors from the rubble of a residential building. “At least 8 people have already been confirmed dead. One of them is a child. My condolences to all their families and loved ones,” he said in a post on X.As per news agency AFP, the strikes form part of one of the deadliest attacks on Kyiv in recent months, with authorities later raising the toll to 23 dead, including four children. EU and British diplomatic missions, as well as offices of media organisations, were also hit.Graham has repeatedly linked the continuation of the war in Ukraine to oil revenue from international buyers. Speaking earlier on NBC’s Meet the Press, the senator said US President Donald Trump was determined to end the conflict by targeting Russia’s oil customers. “Without oil and gas revenue, Russia collapses… the whole goal is to crush his customers – India, China, Brazil,” Graham said.His criticism coincides with mounting trade tensions between Washington and New Delhi. India has denounced new US tariffs of over 50 per cent on Indian goods as “unjustified and unreasonable.” The commerce ministry acknowledged the new tariffs will cause short-term pain in sectors such as textiles, chemicals and machinery, though it maintained that the long-term effect on overall trade and GDP would be limited. Industry bodies, it said, have already raised concerns about liquidity pressures as orders slow and payments are delayed.Graham has previously warned European allies as well, accusing some nations of indirectly buying Russian oil routed through India. In a post earlier this month, he cautioned, “We are watching. This needs to stop now.”
