‘Playing with fire has its consequences’: Kremlin reacts to apparent Trump assassination attempt

ISTANBUL

The Kremlin on Monday said “playing with fire has its consequences” amid reports about the link between Ukraine and the suspect of an apparent assassination attempt against Republican candidate and former US President Donald Trump a day earlier.

“It is not us who should think about this, but US intelligence agencies. In any case, playing with fire has its consequences,” spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in a press briefing when asked whether the Kremlin considered these links, as well as its thoughts on the matter.

Expressing that Russia is closely monitoring the situation in the US, Peskov said the situation surrounding the US presidential race is “tense.”

He went on to deny Russia’s interference in the situation in the country.

Trump was the target of what the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said "appears to be an attempted assassination" at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Law enforcement officials in Florida told reporters that they apprehended a suspect who was spotted by US Secret Service agents with an AK-47-style assault rifle outside Trump’s golf club.

The suspect was identified as Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, of Hawaii, The New York Times and Fox News reported, citing unnamed law enforcement officials.

Routh previously told The New York Times that he went to Ukraine soon after the start of Russia’s “special military operation" in February 2022 to encourage people to fight for the country.