No10 slams ‘desperate’ Putin after Russia issues arrest warrant for award-winning Sun journalist Jerome Starkey 

DOWNING Street has condemned a Russian arrest warrant issued for Sun journalist Jerome Starkey, calling it an example of “desperate rhetoric” from Vladimir Putin’s administration.

A court in Russia’s Kursk border region has issued an arrest warrant for Jerome Starkey, Defence Editor at The Sun, and put him on an international wanted list.

Russia has issued an arrest warrant for The Sun’s defence editor Jerome StarkeyRex

EPA

Downing Street blasted Russian President Vladimir Putin as desperate[/caption]

The Kursk regional court accused him of illegally crossing the border into Russia.

Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) had petitioned the court saying a British citizen had entered Russia from Ukraine to film a report in August last year.

“It’s just another example of desperate rhetoric from Putin’s government. Of course, we condemn it,” the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said.

British journalists “shine a light into some of the darkest corners of the world, uncovering atrocities”, he added.

The spokesman added: “Jerome Starkey’s award-winning reporting from inside Ukraine, exposing the details of Russia’s illegal war for millions of readers, is no different.

“And if the Kremlin cannot withstand the British newspaper highlighting Ukraine’s brave defence of its freedom, then frankly, Putin should roll back his tanks, withdraw his forces, and end the suffering of Ukrainian and Russian people.

“We will always stand with Ukraine, we will always stand by our free and fearless press.”

Alamy

Keir Starmer’s spokesman commended Jerome for his award-winning reporting in Ukraine[/caption]