UK PM Johnson won’t retract Brexit comment on Ukraine, Russian state responsible for hoax calls to UK ministers

LONDON, March 21 (Reuters) – British Prime Minister Boris Johnson did not directly compare the war in Ukraine with Brexit and will not retract comments made during a speech on Saturday that drew criticism, his spokesman said on Monday.

Johnson on Saturday said it was the instinct of British people, like Ukrainians, to choose freedom every time, citing the vote to leave the European Union as an example of that. 

“There was not a direct comparison made between fighting in Ukraine (and Brexit) … they’re not directly analogous. He was making observations about people’s desire for freedom,” the spokesman said.

The spokesman said Johnson did not regret his phrasing and wouldn’t retract the comment.

The Russian state was responsible for hoax calls to two British ministers and an attempted call to a third, Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s spokesman said on Monday.

British defence minister Ben Wallace and interior minister Priti Patel both said they had been targeted. Johnson’s spokesman said a similar but unsuccessful attempt to hoax culture minister Nadine Dorries was also made. 

“This is standard practice for Russian information operations and disinformation is a tactic straight from the Kremlin playbook to try and distract from their illegal activities in Ukraine and the human rights abuses being committed there,” the spokesman said.