Russia protests to U.S. envoy over senator's call to 'take out' Putin

FILE PHOTO: U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) speaks to reporters after a U.S. Senate classified briefing on the ongoing tensions between Russia and Ukraine, on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., February 3, 2022. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz/File Photo

LONDON (Reuters) - Russia's Foreign Ministry protested to the U.S. ambassador in Moscow on Saturday over remarks by U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham advocating that President Vladimir Putin be assassinated.

It said in a statement that failure to unambiguously condemn the remarks and take concrete measures "will have a further devastating effect on Russian-American relations", already in tatters following Western sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.