Russian opposition figure Igor Eidman has claimed that US Senator Lindsey Graham’s death may have been the result of a Kremlin intelligence operation, citing the timing of the senator’s death and his recent visit to Ukraine, though he has not provided evidence to support the allegation.
According to Eidman, Moscow had a possible motive because Graham had been one of the strongest advocates in Washington for increased military support for Ukraine and tougher sanctions on Russia.
Eidman argued that Graham’s recent trip to Kyiv could have provided an opportunity for a poisoning using what he described as a slow-acting substance. He also suggested that Russian intelligence services could have relied on remaining agent networks in Ukraine to carry out such an operation.
His comments came after Graham’s office announced that the South Carolina Republican had died following “a brief and sudden illness” at the age of 71. “On the evening of Saturday, July 11, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham passed away from a brief and sudden illness. Senator Graham’s family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period,” his office said in a statement posted on X.
Emergency officials responded to Graham’s Capitol Hill home at about 8:30pm after receiving a report of an individual suffering from chest pains, according to The Washington Post, citing police scanner audio.
US President Donald Trump paid tribute to Graham on Truth Social. “Senator Lindsey Graham, one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known, is dead!” Trump wrote. “He was always working and was a true American Patriot. Lindsey will be greatly missed!!!”
Trump said funeral arrangements would be announced in the coming days.
Just days before his death, Graham had returned from Ukraine, where he met President Volodymyr Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss the war with Russia.
Describing their meeting in Kyiv as “really good”, Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised the senator’s long-standing support for Ukraine. “Lindsey was a true defender of freedom and the values that make our world safer,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on X. “He visited Ukraine ten times during the years of Russia’s full-scale invasion and was here with our people when it was most needed.”
“A staunch advocate for bipartisan and bicameral support for Ukraine, in recent weeks, he had been working on important initiatives that could help bring peace closer, including stronger sanctions against Russia. We will always be especially grateful for the recognition of our people and words of admiration for the courage of Ukraine’s defenders. America and the world have lost a determined leader,” he added.
Graham had recently said that President Trump backed legislation introducing what he described as new “hellish sanctions” against Russia. Eidman argued that the Kremlin may have viewed the senator as one of the figures influencing Trump’s evolving position on Russia, although he offered no evidence for the claim.