Australian PM ridiculed for promising to 'shirtfront' Putin

Sydney, Oct 14 (IANS/EFE) Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has been ridiculed on social networks for using rugby terminology to say he would confront Russian President Vladimir Putin during the G20 summit in Brisbane next month over the downing of a Malaysia Airlines flight in which 38 Australians died.

"I'm going to shirtfront (rugby tackle) Mr. Putin - you bet I am. I'm going to be saying to Mr. Putin, Australians were murdered and they were murdered by Russian-backed rebels using Russian supplied equipment. We are very unhappy about this," Abbott had said Monday.

Australia has imposed sanctions on Russia after flight MH17, with 38 Australian citizens aboard, was allegedly shot down by pro-Russian rebels over eastern Ukraine July 17.

Abbott's remarks became a trending topic on Twitter, where users proposed awarding a medal to his speech writer for showing his "violence and stupidity" as well as "raging testosterone".

There were also several uploads of edited pictures showing Putin with his chest uncovered and Abbott in swimming trunks, each one with information regarding their age, weight, height, abilities and hobbies, as in the case of boxers.

Beyond the jokes, the second secretary at the Russian embassy in Canberra, Alexander Odoevsky, admitted that bilateral relations between the two countries had reached a historic low.

--IANS/EFE

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