Britain's Defense Minister Says He's Ready To Kidnap Putin

• 11.01.2026, 14:32

"This man needs to be stopped."

British Defense Secretary John Healey has said he would kidnap Russian dictator Vladimir Putin to prosecute him for war crimes in Ukraine.

That's how Healey responded to a question from journalist Kyiv Independent about which world leader he would kidnap if given the chance.

He pointed out that Russian war crimes include "what I saw in Bucha during one of my first visits to Ukraine," as well as "the kidnapping of some Ukrainian children I met in Irpen."

While at the scene of a Russian strike on a high-rise building in the Darnitsky district of Kiev and pointing to it, Healey said the building "tells you everything you need to know about President Putin and his determination not only to wage war against Ukraine but to strike civilians, cities, infrastructure that people absolutely critically depend on in the middle of winter."

The British defense minister added: "This man must be stopped. This war has to be stopped."

"And our mission is to support Ukraine in its fight today and to help secure peace for the moment," John Healey emphasized.