Kremlin Mocks NYC Mayor: "Dear Comrade" and Soviet Jabs Fly

A senior Russian diplomat has sarcastically compared New York City Mayor Eric Adams to a Soviet communist, criticizing his progressive policies. In a social media post, Dmitry Polyanskiy, Russia's Deputy Ambassador to the United Nations, addressed the mayor as "Dear Comrade Adams." He directly linked Adams's democratic socialist ideas to the failed Soviet Union. Polyanskiy specifically mocked a new city program that provides pre-paid credit cards to migrant families. He suggested the policy would lead to shortages and long lines, known in the Soviet era as "deficits" and "queues." The public criticism is highly unusual in international diplomacy. It marks a sharp escalation in rhetorical attacks from Moscow toward a U.S. city leader. Mayor Adams, a former police captain, has not publicly responded to the Russian envoy's comments. The incident highlights how Russia uses Western political debates for its propaganda.