Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Anatoly Antonov, Russia's ambassador to the U.S., are locked in a bitter war of words over Russian military jets downing a U.S. drone over the Black Sea.
Graham has doubled down on his suggestion the U.S. should shoot down aggressive Russian jets, saying the way to "prevent big wars is to quickly stand up to aggressors."
"Well, we should hold them accountable and say that if you ever get near another U.S. aircraft flying in international waters, your airplane would be shot down," Graham told Fox News host Sean Hannity. "What would Ronald Reagan do right now? He would start shooting Russian planes down if they were threatening our assets."
But Antonov, referring to Graham as an "odious legislator," issued his own statement about Graham and the drone, according to Tass news agency in Russia.
"The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation explained in detail the reasons and procedure for the actions of Russian pilots during [Tuesday's] incident over the Black Sea," he claimed. "I repeat for those who did not find the strength to look at the situation objectively: Our fighters did not come into contact with the American UAV."
And he maintained the threats by some U.S. lawmakers, particularly Graham, go beyond "common sense."
"As for the above-mentioned senator, this is by no means the first attempt by an odious legislator to provoke a dangerous escalation in Russian-American relations," Antonov said. "A year ago, he called on the citizens of our country to assassinate the president of Russia. Does the senator seriously believe that a direct military clash with Russia is in the interests of voters who have entrusted him with concern for their lives and well-being?
"Intentionally attacking a Russian aircraft in neutral airspace is not just a crime under international law, but also an open declaration of war against the largest nuclear power.
"An armed clash between Russia and the United States would be radically different from a proxy war that the Americans wage remotely against us in Ukraine. Is the Capitol ready to expose American citizens and the international community to the risk of all-out nuclear war? Answer, dear senator."
And Graham, in a statement distributed to news outlets, fired back.
"When it comes to Russian actions against the U.S. drone you can believe the Russian ambassador's lies about how this happened," he said. "I choose not to.
"I fear those who suggest we give in to intimidation by aggressors — like President [Joe] Biden has done throughout the world — are going to make things dramatically worse, not better. Russia intentionally knocked down a U.S. drone operating legally in international airspace. Ronald Reagan, Donald Trump, and other strong leaders would not take crap like this from adversaries of the United States.
"I hope the Pentagon sends drones back in the same airspace and lets Russia know that we will defend American assets. Big wars start when brutal aggression is met with weakness. The best way to prevent big wars is to quickly stand up to aggressors.
"Weakness against Putin will surely lead to China's invasion of Taiwan.
"If this weakness continues we are on course to have major conflicts in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. History has shown us weakness in the face of aggression only leads to wider conflict."