Two weeks after the brutal murder of 27-year-old Iryna Zarutska, former North Carolina Democratic Governor Roy Cooper finally broke his silence — only to face a firestorm of backlash for turning the tragedy into a political flex.

Rather than expressing straightforward sympathy or addressing public concerns, Cooper, who is running for U.S. Senate and would likely face Republican front-runner Michael Whatley in the general election, issued a campaign-style statement that many called self-serving and deflective. He wrote, “The murder of Iryna Zarutska is a horrible tragedy … I’ve been Attorney General and Governor, dedicating my career to putting violent criminals behind bars and keeping them there … It’s time Michael Whatley and the GOP get serious in Washington about funding our law enforcement, and that’s what I’ll do as Senator.”

The murder of Iryna Zarutska is a horrible tragedy and we must do everything we can to keep people safe.

Only a cynical DC insider would think it’s acceptable to use her death for political points, especially one who supported cutting funding to law enforcement in NC.

— Roy Cooper (@RoyCooperNC) September 9, 2025

Critics didn’t hold back. Instead of offering accountability or solutions, Cooper used Zarutska’s death as a springboard for Senate campaign talking points, drawing condemnation from across the political spectrum.

“This man waited TWO WEEKS to comment on the brutal murder of Iryna Zarutska and then used it to launch an attack ad for his Senate run,” wrote conservative commentator Will Chamberlain.

Both Roy Cooper and Josh Stein are implicitly blaming Iryna Zarutska’s death on a lack of police funding – when police arrested the perp 14 times.

They will not take responsibility for their misguided reforms that let psychotic murderers run wild.

Their careers need to end. pic.twitter.com/Uqw3NLWuYs

— Will Chamberlain (@willchamberlain) September 9, 2025

The most devastating takedown came from citizens and analysts who connected Cooper’s soft-on-crime policies to the environment that enabled Zarutska’s killer, who had a long history of violent behavior and had been repeatedly released without bail.

One viral post highlighted Cooper’s 2020 creation of the Task Force for Racial Equity in Criminal Justice (TREC), which implemented 125 “reform” recommendations, including reducing the use of cash bail, downgrading certain criminal offenses to infractions, and expanding “restorative justice” alternatives.

Hello Governor Cooper,

It is neither cynical nor partisan to ask how your decisions contributed to the environment in which this happened.

In June 2020, you created the Task Force for Racial Equity in Criminal Justice (TREC) through Executive Order 145. That task force issued… pic.twitter.com/49OdFZS3s4

— DataRepublican (small r) (@DataRepublican) September 10, 2025

Under Cooper’s leadership, critics say, the justice system shifted from deterrence to leniency, and repeat violent offenders benefited. The suspect in Zarutska’s murder was reportedly released multiple times, despite clear red flags.

“You argue that critics ‘supported cutting funding to law enforcement,’” the post continued. “But these facts show under your leadership, the state itself redirected focus from deterrence and incapacitation toward leniency and diversion. Magistrates, operating within that climate, released Brown without bail even after multiple dangerous encounters. That’s downstream of leadership which prizes symbolic equity reforms over public safety … starting with you.”

The deepest pit in hell is where you belong

Not just because you were attorney general letting this animal run amok

Not just because you were governor letting this animal run amok

But to try to lie and play dumb running for Senate when blood is on your hands you sick monster https://t.co/bkPaYoKtXp

— Comfortably Smug (@ComfortablySmug) September 10, 2025

The man partly responsible for Iryna Zarutska’s killing, former NC Democratic Gov. (and Senate candidate) Roy Cooper, waits 18 DAYS before commenting.

He is a national embarrassment. #ncpol https://t.co/HP0PTQRTus

— Sloan Rachmuth (@SloanRachmuth) September 10, 2025

Polish officials said Wednesday its forces had shot down a “huge number” of Russian drones overnight that violated the country’s airspace during an attack on Ukraine.

Polish fighter jets, backed by NATO aircraft from Italy, the Netherlands, and Germany, intercepted and destroyed the drones, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said. He added that allies stood in solidarity with Poland and denounced Russia’s “reckless behavior.”

“Last night the Polish airspace was violated by a huge number of Russian drones. Those drones that posed a direct threat were shot down,” Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on X. “I am in constant communication with the Secretary General of NATO and our allies.”

He said 19 drones had been in Polish airspace, later telling Parliament that Russia had gone too far. 

“I have no reason to claim we’re on the brink of war, but a line has been crossed, and it’s incomparably more dangerous than before,” Tusk said, according to Reuters. “This situation brings us the closest we have been to open conflict since World War II.”

The Kremlin refused to comment on the situation.

“This is not for us to do so,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, according to the BBC. “It’s a matter for the [Russian] defence ministry.”

Russia’s Defense Ministry said it did not target Poland, and General Pavel Muraveiko, the Russian-aligned commander of Belarus’s armed forces, claimed that the drones “lost their course as a result of electronic warfare.”

Several European leaders condemned the drone incursion. 

“This was an extremely reckless move by Russia and only serves to remind us of President Putin’s blatant disregard for peace, and the constant bombardment innocent Ukrainians face every day,” said U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer. 

“Hungary stands in full solidarity with Poland following the recent drone incident. The violation of Poland’s territorial integrity is unacceptable,” Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán wrote on X. “The incident proves that our policy of calling for peace in the Russia-Ukraine war is reasonable and rational. Living in the shadow of a war is fraught with risks and dangers. It’s time to make it stop! To this end, we support the efforts of President [Donald Trump] aimed at achieving peace.”

President Donald Trump has pushed for an end to the Ukraine-Russia war, but the fighting between the two countries has continued. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky have not yet met to discuss a possible end to the conflict.