Kremlin responds angrily to Biden's curse aimed at Putin

The Kremlin has accused Joe Biden of trying to emulate a "Hollywood cowboy" after the US president referred to Vladimir Putin as "a crazy SOB".

Biden made the remark at a public fundraising event on Wednesday in California, expressing concerns about the risk of nuclear conflict.

In response, the Russian president dismissed the comment as "rude".

He connected this criticism with his previous statement indicating a preference for Biden over Donald Trump in the White House.

During a brief speech in San Francisco, Biden stated: "We have a crazy SOB like that guy Putin, and others, and we always have to worry about nuclear conflict, but the existential threat to humanity is climate."

This isn't the first time the US president has used such language. In a hot-mic incident in 2022, Biden referred to a Fox News journalist as a "son of a bitch". Additionally, he has previously called Putin a "butcher" and a "war criminal".

On Thursday, Putin's spokesperson Dmitry Peskov criticized the comment, stating that it "debases America" and labeling Biden as a "Hollywood cowboy".

Peskov added, "Has Mr. Putin ever used one crude word to address you?"

Putin caused a stir last week when he expressed a preference for Biden over Trump in the November presidential election, describing the incumbent as "more experienced, he's predictable, he's an old-style politician".

He has now implied that Biden's "crazy SOB" remark is related to that statement.

On Russian TV, Putin remarked: "I said that we would work with any president, but I think that for us, for Russia, Biden is more preferable."

"And judging by what he said, I am absolutely right. Because it is an appropriate reaction to what I said."

"Why? He cannot say 'Volodya, well done, thank you, you helped me a lot,' can he?"

During his speech in California, Biden also criticized Donald Trump, whom he is likely to face off against in November's presidential election.

Trump has seemingly likened himself to Alexei Navalny, the Russian opposition activist who died in jail last week.

While the Republican has refrained from attributing blame to Putin for Navalny's death, Biden stated that there can be "no doubt" the Russian president was responsible.

"If I stood here 10 to 15 years ago and said all this, you'd all think I should be committed," remarked Biden.