Russia condemns US President Biden for calling Putin 'war criminal'

As the US supplies $1 billion in arms to Ukraine, President Joe Biden for the first time referred to Vladimir Putin as a "war criminal."

Biden's remarks are described by the Kremlin as "unacceptable and unforgivable rhetoric." 

Russia blamed the US of murdering "hundreds of thousands of people around the world." 

"We believe such rhetoric to be unacceptable and unforgivable on the part of the head of a state, whose bombs have killed hundreds of thousands of people around the world," said Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov, according to the state news agencies TASS and Ria Novosti.

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It's the first time Biden has used such strong words to criticise Putin, and the White House later stated that he was "speaking from his heart."

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The statement in Washington happened Wednesday when a reporter asked the US president: "Mr President, after everything we have seen, are you ready to call Putin a war criminal?"

The President responded with no "Before being questioned, he modified his response to "Did you ask me if I would tell....?"I believe he is a war criminal." 

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After watching "barbaric" photographs of the carnage in Ukraine, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said the president was speaking from his heart rather than making an official statement.

She pointed out that there was a distinct legal process, overseen by the State Department, for determining war crimes, which was still underway.

On the president's official Twitter account, the following was posted: 

(With inputs from agencies)