Asked which world leader he would kidnap in a hypothetical scenario, U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey said last week he would take Russian President Vladimir Putin into custody to hold him accountable for war atrocities.

Healey made the remarks Friday during a visit to Kyiv as Russia continued launching missile and drone attacks on residential targets in the Ukrainian capital and other cities.

Asked by the Kyiv Independent whether there was any world leader he would seize, Healey replied that he would "take Putin into custody and hold him to account for war crimes."

Healey cited scenes he said he witnessed in Bucha, where mass graves were discovered in 2022 after Russian forces retreated, as well as the alleged abduction of Ukrainian children from occupied areas, including the city of Irpin.

Pointing to widespread destruction across Ukraine, Healey said the damage reflects Putin's intent not only to wage war against Ukrainian forces, but also to deliberately target civilians, cities, and critical infrastructure — especially during the winter months.

"This is a man who must be stopped," Healey said. "This is a war that must be stopped, and our mission is to support Ukraine in its fight today and help secure peace."

Healey's comments come as Russia continues bombarding Ukrainian cities. Overnight missile and drone strikes last week killed at least four people in Kyiv and injured more than two dozen others, according to Ukrainian officials.

A paramedic was among those killed in what authorities described as a "double-tap" strike targeting emergency responders.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the attacks knocked out electricity for hundreds of thousands of residents and disrupted heat and water supplies as temperatures plunged well below freezing.

Nearly half the city's apartment buildings were left without heat, he said, prompting officials to urge residents with the means to temporarily leave the capital.

Healey remarks also come amid heightened international debate over accountability for authoritarian leaders, following President Donald Trump's recent capture of Venezuelan strongman Nicolas Maduro — an operation that has challenged longstanding assumptions about the limits of international law enforcement.

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