WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)—In a sharply critical op-ed piece for the Russian Web site Pravda, Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona) called Russian President Vladimir Putin “a brutal, freedom-hating tyrant” and challenged Mr. Putin to tear down the Berlin Wall.

“The Wall stands as a symbol of your failed, repressive system,” Sen. McCain said. “Until you tear it down, the world will see you and your Soviet goons for what you are: relics destined for the dustbin of history.”

“Mr. Putin, tear down that wall,” Sen. McCain’s editorial pointedly concluded.

Several hours after the article was published, the Russian Federation issued a terse statement, indicating that the Berlin Wall had been torn down.

Responding to the Russian statement, Sen. McCain told reporters, “This shows what you can achieve when you talk tough with Putin. If only President Obama realized that.”

Sen. McCain added that he was “delighted” by the response to his Pravda editorial and was already writing a new one, urging Mr. Putin to remove his missiles from Cuba.

Photograph by Samantha Sais/Reuters.