Greta Thunberg has changed her Twitter profile in response to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s criticism of the Swedish climate activist for her United Nations speech.
The 16-year-old schoolgirl denounced world leaders at the UN General Assembly last month for failing to tackle climate change, igniting a backlash among Russians. Putin criticized Thunberg’s speech Wednesday, calling her “a kind and very sincere girl” who doesn’t understand the “complexities” of the modern world.
Thunberg later changed her Twitter biography to say “A kind but poorly informed teenager.”
She used the same tactic after U.S. President Donald Trump mocked her on the social media site last week, tweeting: "She seems like a very happy young girl looking forward to a bright and wonderful future." Thunberg changed her Twitter biography to mirror his words, saying that Trump’s remarks showed her message had become "too loud to handle."
Thunberg started missing school on Fridays a year ago to protest for climate action outside the Swedish parliament, inspiring millions of children and sparking a global climate strike movement known as Fridays for Future. The campaign has inspired an emerging climate protest movement in cities across Russia.
Earlier this week, a Russian lawmaker sent an invitation to Thunberg to deliver a speech in Russia’s parliament. The Swedish Embassy in Moscow has since promised to forward the letter the young activist.
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