Good Morning Britain host Adil Ray had to make a swift apology on Monday's programme as he and Kate Garraway interviewed a Ukrainian millionaire who bombed his own mansion amid Russia's on-going invasion of the country.
Andrey Stavnitser appeared on the ITV news programme via video link from Poland to discuss his Ukrainian home after fleeing the country in the wake of the Russian invasion which began more than seven weeks ago on February 24.
The businessman told hosts Adil and Kate how he asked the Ukrainian military to bomb his home near Kyiv after he discovered the Russian army were occupying the property and using it as a base for their attacks on the country.
"You obviously have done well, you’re a successful businessman and many people in Ukraine had successful lives they’ve had to watch be destroyed. Is it because you could afford to lose your home?" Kate asked the programme's guest.
Andrey replied: "It's a very simple thing. If you had asked me two months ago what my feelings would be if some hostile military people were in my house, I would say fury and anger. However, this is not what I felt. I felt disgusted. I felt dirty. So, it was an obvious decision.
"It’s not about money. It's about effort put into the house. I just finished building it. It was a beautiful house. I want to do everything possible to help Ukraine win, because I think we’re safeguarding Europe’s safety."
He then added: “It is important for us to keep those b******s out of our lands. It’s just a little piece I could do," before back in the London studio Adil said: "We’ll just apologise for your choice of language there, but I think a lot of people might well agree with your sentiment."
It has been reported that multiple explosions apparently caused by missiles have struck the western Ukrainian city of Lviv as the country braced for an all-out Russian assault in the east. At least six people were killed as plumes of black smoke rose over the city after the blasts.
Lviv and the rest of western Ukraine have been less affected by two months of fighting than other parts of the country and have been considered a relative haven. However, Lviv’s regional governor Maksym Kozytsky said six people were killed and another eight, including a child, were wounded by four Russian missile strikes.
He said three hit military infrastructure facilities and one struck a tyre shop, and that emergency teams were putting out fires. Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi put the toll at six dead and 11 wounded, including one child.
It comes as Ukraine has vowed to "fight absolutely to the end" in Mariupol where the port’s last-known pocket of resistance is holed up in a sprawling steel plant laced with tunnels. Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said Ukrainians would keep fighting in the ruined city, as Russian missiles and rockets battered other parts of the country.
