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- Russian state media claims an interview with Putin was part of a US operation to make him look bad.
- American journalist Hadley Gamble interviewed Putin at the Russian Energy Week in Moscow last week.
- Putin also suggested that Gamble was too "beautiful" to understand his explanation of a gas issue.
Russian state media is claiming that the reporter whom President Vladimir Putin said was too 'beautiful' to understand him during an interview last week was part of a US "special operation" to make him look bad, the Daily Beast first reported.
Journalists, figures, and personalities across the Russian media sphere have denounced American CNBC journalist Hadley Gamble, targeting her with misogynist digs and accusations of being part of a government plot.
Olga Skabeeva, a host of a state TV show, said Gamble was part of a US "special operation" to target Putin, according to a translation by the Daily Beast.
Mikhail Markelov, a journalist and former politician, agreed with Skabeeva and reportedly described Gamble as a "secret weapon."
Other commentators criticized the interview and made misogynistic claims about Gamble's appearance or attire.
The Daily Beast reported that radio host Vladimir Soloviev referred to Gamble as "that American broad from the Middle East" and claimed she was trying to distract Putin with her "sex appeal."
Gamble spoke to Putin at the Russian Energy Week in Moscow on Wednesday and addressed recent accusations that Russia was withholding gas supplies to Europe in an effort to drive up prices.
Seemingly irritated, Putin turned to the audience and said in Russian: "Beautiful woman, pretty, I'm telling her one thing. She instantly tells me the opposite as if she didn't hear what I said," The Hill reported.
Gamble later posted a photograph to Instagram of the front page of Russian newspaper Kommersant that showed her leg during her interview with Putin.
"My best angle #feminism #Russia," Gamble wrote.
Watch the full interview here: