Georgian TV Host’s Expletive-Laden, Anti-Putin Rant Leads to Station Temporarily Going Off-Air

Rustavi 2 suspends on-air presenter Giorgi Gabunia for two months after tirade

Georgian news presenter Giorgi Gabunia went off-script on live television Monday, hurling strongly-worded insults at Russian President Vladimir Putin and his late mother.

Rustavi 2, Georgia’s main commercial television channel, went off the air for a few hours after the outburst as a crowd of protestors gathered outside, according to the BBC. The station later apologized for Gabunia’s remarks. In a statement posted on its website, Rustavi 2 said Gabunia violated “the high standards established by our channel.” The station later announced it has suspended Gabunia for two months.

Here’s a light sampling of some of the least expletive-heavy phrases Gabunia aimed at Putin, as translated from Russian by the BBC: “There is no place for such a miserable creature like you, such a freak like you. You are stinking invader… Your mom is dead. Oh, that’s a pity. It really is. Let her burn in hell. Together with you and your father.”

Yikes. You can watch the clip above.

Putin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said of the comments, “We consider these insults totally unacceptable… All this is simply consequence of the [Georgian] state’s reluctance or inability to restrain extremist youths,” according to the BBC.

“This is a war by provocateurs against their country, a dirty and disgusting game with the security of the state and citizens,” said Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze, according to the BBC.

Gabunia’s outburst comes at a time when tensions are high between Georgia and Russia. The Associated Press reported that as of Monday, all direct flights between Georgia and Russia have been halted due to a direct order from Putin, following anti-Russian protests in Georgia’s capital city of Tbilisi.

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