Vladimir Putin responded to Boris Johnson's criticism of his "toxic masculinity" with a reference to Margaret Thatcher and the Falklands War

The Russian president reacted after the statements of the British prime minister, who stated that if he were a woman, the Kremlin leader would not have invaded Ukraine.

London - Russian President Vladimir Putin used the Falklands War as an example to respond to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson 's accusation that if he were a woman he would not have invaded Ukraine.

Speaking at a news conference Thursday morning during a visit to Turkmenistan, Putin pointed to former British leader Margaret Thatcher's decision to send troops to the Falklands as a refutation of Johnson's theory.

Johnson called Putin's decision to launch what Moscow calls a "special military operation" against Ukraine a "perfect example of toxic masculinity " and mocked Putin's macho stance.

“If Putin was a woman, which he obviously isn’t, but if he were, I really don’t think he would’ve embarked on a crazy, macho war of invasion and violence in the way that he has,” Johnson told German broadcaster ZDF on Tuesday, adding that “if you want a perfect example of toxic masculinity, it’s what he’s [Putin] is doing in Ukraine."

In response, Putin told the press: “I just want to recall the events of recent history, when Margaret Thatcher decided to launch military operations against Argentina for the Falkland Islands. So a woman made the decision to launch military action.”

“So it is not an entirely accurate reference from the British Prime Minister to what is happening today,” he added.

Putin -in response to Boris words that Putin wouldn't start a special operation "if he were a woman"

“I just want to recall a recent history when Margaret Thatcher decided to start operation against Argentina for the Falkland Islands

Here the woman decided to start hostilities pic.twitter.com/NhQ8e6BXmv

— cooper (@coope125) June 29, 2022

The Russian leader criticized Great Britain's decision, 40 years ago, to respond militarily to the Argentine landing on the islands whose sovereignty is in dispute.

"Where are the Falkland Islands and where is Britain?" Putin asked. "Thatcher's actions were dictated by nothing less than imperial ambitions and [a desire to] confirm her imperial status."

Moscow repeatedly criticizes Western military interventions in places like the former Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, and Iraq as examples of Western imperialism and hypocrisy.

But during his two-decade rule, Putin himself has faced multiple accusations of imperialism, wanting to forcibly expand Russia's borders and influence into the former Soviet space, and has himself said he wishes he could reverse the collapse of the Soviet Union.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24 destroyed numerous cities, killed thousands of civilians and forced millions from their homes across Ukraine.

Source: La Nación