The executive producer of a new Ukrainian TV news program refused to answer questions during a live interview with Russia Today, and instead used the airtime to urge other journalists not to cooperate with the Kremlin-backed news company.
RT had invited Tetyana Pushnova, the executive producer of Ukraine Today, on to discuss her new project. But once on air, she told the anchor defiantly, "You are responsible for thousands of deaths in my country."
"And Russia Today, who are financed by Kremlin, lie about my country, lie about Ukraine," she said. "That’s why I don’t want to communicate with you, and I call to my international colleagues, don’t cooperate with Russia Today."
At first, RT host Anissa Naouai did not seem to understand what was happening as a banner flashed on the screen, "RUSSIA TODAY STOP LIE [sic]".
"Oh, OK," Naouai snapped, visibly annoyed. "I just want to take this time to point out that Russia Today tries very hard to get people to come on to give the other side of the story, to give different views."
"We have a great difficulty with trying to get people with different views, not the Russian perspectives," Naouai said.
Naouai concluded the segment with a dejected admission: "We've been trolled. Live on air."