Moscow lodges protest with Washington over Senator Graham's remarks

MOSCOW. March 5 (Interfax) - A demarche has been delivered to U.S. Ambassador in Moscow John Sullivan over the provocative statements made by U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

"On March 5, Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Sergei Ryabkov handed a note of protest to U.S. Ambassador in Moscow John Sullivan, who was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry, in connection with the known provocative and aggressive statements made by American Senator Lindsey Graham," the Foreign Ministry said on its website.

Such an act is "qualified by the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation as an attempt on the life of a state figure and entails severe consequences, including prosecution," the ministry said.