Kremlin hammers Joe Biden bizarrely claiming he is responsible for Ukraine war

Kremlin figures have reacted with glee over Joe Biden's decision not to seek a second term as US President, with one bizarrely claiming the 81-year-old had caused the war in Ukraine.

Russian politicians and diplomats used Biden's announcement on Sunday to trumpet anti-Western propaganda, with State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin claiming during a visit to Cuba that Biden "has created problems all over the world and in his own country".

Volodin, a former aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin, also inexplicably claimed the Democrat should be held accountable "for the war unleashed in Ukraine, the destruction of the economies of European states, the sanctions policy against Russia and other countries", as per MailOnline.

He also claimed the incumbent made the decision to stand down only after "seeing that he will not be elected" accusing him of "running away without waiting for the elections".

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova also mocked Biden, writing on Telegram that "he is leaving the presidential race. But he did not say where exactly".

She said the "next step" should be "an investigation into the collusion of the American media and political circles that concealed the true state of affairs about his mental state, manipulating public opinion and playing into the hands of one political party".

Biden endorsed his Vice President Kamala Harris for the top job shortly after announcing he would quit the race, which brought a frosty response from the Kremlin on Monday, with Putin spokesperson Dimitry Peskov saying of the VP: "There have been some statements which were full of unfriendly rhetoric towards our country."

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky paid tribute to Biden's "leadership and support" throughout the war in Ukraine, which has seen Washington providing billions of dollars worth of military aid to Kyiv.

Biden recently announced a futher $225 million weapons package for Ukraine, as its forces continue to repel Russia's invading army.

In a statement on X, Zelensky said: "Ukraine is grateful to President Biden for his unwavering support for Ukraine's fight for freedom, which, along with strong bipartisan support in the United States, has been and continues to be critical.

"Many strong decisions have been made in recent years and they will be remembered as bold steps taken by President Biden in response to challenging times. And we respect today's tough but strong decision."

Trump, the Republican nominee for President, has promised to end Russia’s war on Ukraine in one day if he is elected — a prospect that has raised fears in Ukraine that Russia might be allowed to keep the territory it has occupied.

His Vice Presidential-pick, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, is among most vocal opponents of U.S. aid for Ukraine in Congress, raising the stakes for Kyiv further.

Russia has dismissed the importance of the race, at least publicly, insisting its troops would press on in Ukraine regardless of the US election result.

Dmitry Medvedev, deputy head of Russia’s Security council, wrote on Telegram: “That’s it for Biden," adding that "The goals of the special military operation" - which is what the Kremlin call the invasion that began in Febuary 2022 - "will be achieved".