JK Rowling responds after Putin mentions her in a speech on abort culture.

JK Rowling has responded to Vladimir Putin after he reportedly referred to her during a speech condemning the “breakdown culture” in the West.

Several media outlets reported that the Russian President said the Harry Potter author was deposed “for failing to meet gender rights demands”.

He made the comments during an allegedly televised meeting with Russian cultural figures, at which he also claimed Western countries were trying to cancel the works of composers Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich and Rachmaninoff.

Sharing an article on Twitter about jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, Rowling wrote, “Criticisms of Western abort culture may not be best voiced by those who currently slaughter civilians for the crime of resistance or imprison and poison their critics.”

The author also shared the hashtag #IStandWithUkraine.

In a subsequent tweet, she described her Lumos charity’s work in the country.

“Children confined in orphanages and other institutions are particularly vulnerable right now,” she said.

“Thank you to everyone who has already donated to Lumos’ appeal in Ukraine.”

Rowling said she personally matched all donations to the Lumos emergency line up to £1million.

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Putin reportedly said: “You recently removed Joanne Rowling, the children’s book author.

“Your books are published all over the world. Just because it didn’t meet the demands of gender rights.

“They are trying to abolish our country. I’m talking about the progressive discrimination against everything related to Russia – this trend that is unfolding in a number of Western countries.”

Rowling wrote an essay in June 2020 explaining how her experience of domestic violence and sexual assault motivated her in part to speak out on transgender issues.

Critics have accused the author of being transphobic, an accusation she firmly denies.

Her critics included Harry Potter stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint.