Russia criticizes the US over the California wildfires.
According to TASS on January 12, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova commented on reports that hundreds of prisoners were being sent to extinguish wildfires in California. Zakharova stated that the US was exhibiting "hypocrisy."
.png)
Earlier, the Washington Post, citing information from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, reported that the state government had sent 395 inmates to fight wildfires. The publication noted that the majority were inmates convicted of minor offenses.
On her Telegram channel, spokesperson Zakharova drew attention to the fact that in recent years, US officials have repeatedly criticized China for allegedly using forced labor, particularly in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The diplomat noted that in 2023, Washington restricted imports of products from certain Chinese companies from the US supply chain, aiming to exclude goods allegedly produced with the help of forced Uyghur labor.
“In this regard, a reasonable question arises: will Congress draft a bill imposing sanctions on the California government, private companies, and ordinary Americans for using prison labor to put out fires?” Zakharova wrote.
Wildfires began spreading in Los Angeles on January 7th. According to meteorologists, the rapid spread of the fires was due to dry, windy weather. The latest data from the California Department of Fire Protection indicates that the total area affected by wildfires across the state has reached nearly 15,500 hectares. The two largest fires, in Eaton and Pacific Palisades, are 15% and 11% contained, respectively.
