![Farage 'deeply malign actor' says former defence attache](https://cdn.magzter.com/1591272633/1719805812/articles/plnKYfsx01719811363658/FARAGE-DEEPLY-MALIGN-ACTOR-SAYS-FORMER-DEFENCE-ATTACHE.jpg)
Russian dissidents living in the UK have hit back at the “deeply offensive” words of admiration for Vladimir Putin spoken by Nigel Farage and another Reform UK candidate.
The criticism comes as a British former defence attache who was previously stationed in Moscow described Mr Farage and his party, now third in the polls, as “deeply malign actors ... working against the security interest of our country”.
When asked about the accusations, a Reform UK spokesperson burst into laughter before suggesting that Julian Malins, a Reform party candidate who recently bragged about meeting Mr Putin and said that he “seemed very good”, was merely a highly intelligent and “eccentric sort of character”.
Mr Malins later sought to clarify his comments, saying that Mr Putin is a “popular” president and therefore a “good Russian president”, but adding that he is not a good man “in the Christian sense”.
Three dissidents, as well as the newly knighted Sir Bill Browder – who was Russia’s biggest foreign investor before being exiled by Mr Putin – told The Independent that comments made by Mr Farage and Mr Malins were an affront not only to them but to the British passport holder Vladimir Kara-Murza, a journalist and political activist who is serving a 25-year prison sentence in a Siberian solitary confinement cell for speaking out against the invasion of Ukraine.
After the death of Alexei Navalny in a Russian penal colony, Mr Kara-Murza’s family now fear he will be Mr Putin’s next target.
In a BBC interview on 21 June, Mr Farage defended comments he had made in 2014 about the Russian president, saying that he had “disliked Putin as a person but admired him as a political operator because he’s managed to take control of running Russia”.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
![Ruthless Medvedev knocks out ailing top seed Sinner](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/22095/1761014/EK_OqRMVm1720588811586/RUTHLESS-MEDVEDEV-KNOCKS-OUT-AILING-TOP-SEED-SINNER.jpg)
Ruthless Medvedev knocks out ailing top seed Sinner
Rule out Daniil Medvedev at your peril.
![Van Dijk can prove legends wrong by getting into final](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/22095/1761014/MuvZ9QOke1720588612241/VAN-DIJK-CAN-PROVE-LEGENDS-WRONG-BY-GETTING-INTO-FINAL.jpg)
Van Dijk can prove legends wrong by getting into final
Of all the players around Europe to chastise, to suggest hasn’t had a positive impact on teammates and to berate for not playing well enough, Virgil van Dijk will feel like a baffling choice to regular viewers of the Premier League.
![Southgate: This is England's chance to make history](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/22095/1761014/ame8wisWb1720588494261/SOUTHGATE-THIS-IS-ENGLANDS-CHANCE-TO-MAKE-HISTORY.jpg)
Southgate: This is England's chance to make history
Three Lions have full squad available for Netherlands match
![Yamal's wonder goal leads favourites Spain into final](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/22095/1761014/vwr8NR33F1720588347097/YAMALS-WONDER-GOAL-LEADS-FAVOURITES-SPAIN-INTO-FINAL.jpg)
Yamal's wonder goal leads favourites Spain into final
If this is to be Spain’s first men’s trophy since the glory era of 2008-12, there couldn’t be a better signal of a new era than the youngest player in the history of the European Championships scoring the goal to set them on their way to the final.
![Thames Water may go bust, what does this mean for us?](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/22095/1761014/UKIsVNz7e1720588230617/THAMES-WATER-MAY-GO-BUST-WHAT-DOES-THIS-MEAN-FOR-US.jpg)
Thames Water may go bust, what does this mean for us?
Pity the poor Thames Water consumer (for the record, I am one). We found out yesterday that the water company only has enough cash to last until next May – thanks to a debt pile of more than £15bn.
![Dyson to slash 1,000 jobs](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/22095/1761014/vgOT4lIae1720588153147/DYSON-TO-SLASH-1000-JOBS.jpg)
Dyson to slash 1,000 jobs
Dyson is axeing up to 1,000 jobs in the UK as part of a costcutting drive. The move by the vacuum cleaner maker, which relocated its headquarters to Singapore in 2019, will see its British-based workforce reduced by more than a quarter.
![Senior Democrat publicly urges Biden to step aside](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/22095/1761014/WW8ONE0GY1720588059619/SENIOR-DEMOCRAT-PUBLICLY-URGES-BIDEN-TO-STEP-ASIDE.jpg)
Senior Democrat publicly urges Biden to step aside
Adam Smith is sixth House representative to call for change
![Indian recruits in Russian army can quit, says Putin](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/22095/1761014/t0KQz3_li1720587985531/INDIAN-RECRUITS-IN-RUSSIAN-ARMY-CAN-QUIT-SAYS-PUTIN.jpg)
Indian recruits in Russian army can quit, says Putin
Citizens were reportedly misled’ into serving in Ukraine
!['A room covered in blood'](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/22095/1761014/chDvwAHj71720587843069/A-ROOM-COVERED-IN-BLOOD.jpg)
'A room covered in blood'
A mother and daughter caught up in the Russian missile strike on a Kyiv children’s hospital speak to Tom Watling
![Sugar consumption down one year after tax applied](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/22095/1761014/awEggb6ve1720587650351/SUGAR-CONSUMPTION-DOWN-ONE-YEAR-AFTER-TAX-APPLIED.jpg)
Sugar consumption down one year after tax applied
The sugar tax imposed on soft drinks in Britain led to a significant drop in sugar in people’s diets, according to a longterm study.