Russian TV Mocked for Covering US Winter Storms Amid Moscow Crisis

A Ukrainian official has mocked a Russian state TV host for covering winter weather in the U.S., while Russians grapple with power outages amid subzero temperatures.

On Thursday, Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to Ukraine's minister of internal affairs, shared a 43-second excerpt of Olga Skabeyeva, the host of state TV show 60 Minutes, speaking during a broadcast on the Russia-1 channel. "Russian propagandist Skabeyeva makes fun of the cold temperatures in the United States while hundreds of thousands of Russians actually freeze," wrote Gerashchenko on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Multiple Russian regions have been hit with power outages for weeks, including Moscow, where tens of thousands of residents are affected. Some have resorted to filming video appeals as they grapple with the subzero temperatures. In one of the clips, Russians say they are freezing and that they are left with no choice but to warm their homes with gas stoves, heaters, and "whatever else we can find." Others are lighting fires in the streets to keep warm.

"So, 14 people fell victim to the abnormally cold temperatures in the United States," Kremlin propagandist Skabeyeva began. This was in reference to reports that at least 14 people died in Tennessee amid sweeping stormy weather that has hit the country from Oregon to the Northeast.

"[British news outlet] The Independent informs that in the north of the country the temperature dropped below -20 C (-4 F). For them it is already abnormal. So people are freezing to death right on the streets. Today the cold front will reach southern states," Skabeyeva said.

"In Oregon, 60,000 people are already left without electricity. The weather caused a transportation collapse. Over 10,500 flights got cancelled. Meanwhile, in Moscow at the beginning of January —remember— it was around -30 C (-22 F). In Oymyakon—right now—it's -55 C (-67 F) and everything seems to be OK," Skabeyeva added.

Responding to her remarks, one X user wrote that "the fact that they mentioned Oregon makes me laugh."

"I live in Oregon, no one is dying because of some freezing rain and being without power for a few days. We have fireplaces to warm our homes... this isn't some backwater like Russia. Inconvenienced? Yes. In danger? No," the X user wrote.

Meanwhile, residents of Selyatino, Moscow, have described the situation in the region as "some kind of struggle for survival," Russian Telegram channel ASTRA reported.

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