(MOSCOW) – Russian state broadcaster Vladimir Solovyov, one of dictator Vladimir Putin’s most vocal media supporters, shocked listeners during a live morning radio programme after launching into an angry tirade against his own team, accusing them of sabotage and technical incompetence while making alarming nuclear threats against the West.
The incident occurred during Solovyov’s breakfast show, Full Contact, which airs at 7 a.m. Moscow time on the state-run Vesti FM radio. The show, co-hosted by weatherman Evgeny Tishkovets, was interrupted by multiple technical failures, prompting Solovyov to accuse his production staff of undermining him on air.
What began as a routine discussion on Russia’s relations with the United States and China quickly escalated into an emotional outburst. Solovyov claimed that America had “taken a huge step up the escalation ladder” and that Russia must respond “firmly and adequately.” He warned that decisions made on “unverified information” could lead to “tragic consequences,” before stressing that Moscow was supposedly not violating any international agreements.
As technical problems continued, Solovyov grew increasingly agitated, shouting into his microphone that his editors should “come to their senses” and calling for the chief editor to appear in the studio. At one point, he yelled, “If you do not have the brains to listen to the broadcast, write your resignation letters and get out.”
He then invoked the Stalinist era, declaring that during “Comrade Stalin’s time, you would all have been sent away.”
In a moment of confusion, Solovyov interrupted the broadcast to demand explanations from the studio control room, complaining that the wrong recording had been played. He described the situation as “sabotage,” insisting that the errors were politically motivated.
Despite the turmoil, co-host Evgeny Tishkovets continued speaking about “geo-physical weapons,” suggesting that Russia could use atmospheric manipulation technology comparable in impact to nuclear arms. The pair discussed the idea of holding such weapons “as a club above our enemies” and threatened to “apply them at any moment.”
Their remarks took a darker turn when Solovyov proposed that the United Kingdom could be a potential target, saying that “a strike on British territory would be particularly painful due to its island nature.” He suggested that using “powerful weapons” could “wipe out fortified areas of the Ukrainians” and inflict “damage on those who support them with their taxes.”
He continued: “What is more valuable — the life of our soldier or the life of a Western taxpayer funding Ukrainian Nazis? History has already answered that.”
During the broadcast, Solovyov also appeared to lose his voice while shouting, later admitting he was “disappointed” in his team and warning that he would “take measures” against them. When the weather segment began, he mocked his colleagues, saying to the weatherman, “It’s good you are wearing black — mourning for the team I will now advise to find new jobs.”
He concluded the chaotic programme by wishing “storms, fog, and tsunamis” on the United Kingdom, saying all such “disasters should fall on our enemies.”
| Key Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Programme | “Full Contact” on Vesti FM |
| Time of Broadcast | 7:00 a.m. Moscow Time |
| Host | Vladimir Solovyov |
| Co-host | Evgeny Tishkovets (weatherman) |
| Main Theme | Nuclear threats, Western “enemies,” and internal “sabotage” |
| Tone | Aggressive, accusatory, nationalistic |
Vladimir Solovyov, often referred to by Russian media critics as the Kremlin’s chief propagandist, has faced sanctions from the European Union and the United Kingdom for promoting pro-war narratives. His radio and television shows have been described as part of the information campaign designed to justify Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
