A Russian state TV presenter has launched an extraordinary rant against Boris Johnson after he won a vote of confidence with Tory MPs.
Anchor Olga Skabeyeva accused the Tories of leaving in place a prime minister who was lying - referring to the Partygate scandal Johnson and his cabinet are desperate to put behind them.
The blast from Vladimir Putin ’s “Iron Doll” - who branded him “cynical and hypocritical” - came as Ukrainians lauded Johnson over his survival as prime minister, even making him an honorary Cossack for his moral and military support for Kyiv in the war with Russia.
““Even his dissatisfied fellow party members tried to dismiss him,” said a sour Skabeyeva on Russian state TV.
“But Boris eventually received a vote of confidence and was protected from resignation for a year.
“Johnson himself wanted to stop a vote at all, arguing the situation on the Ukrainian front was dire.
“So as usual he was cynical and hypocritical…
“Johnson had the support of 211 Conservative MPs and 148 voted against.
"But opinion polls show 59 per cent of Britons, a majority, have been and remain in favour of Mr Johnson's resignation.
“Such is their democracy. Boris stays.”
Meanwhile in Ukraine he was given a new name and Boris Chuprina and granted honorary Cossask status by the Chernihiv Cossack community of the Catherine the Great Church.
“A certificate confirming this will be sent to London,” said a statement.
Kyiv masters Daria Dobryakova and Yuri Kutilov painted an image of him as a Cossack in traditional attire.
Andrei Lesnoy, of the Chernihiv Regional Historical Museum, said explained why this surname was chosen for the new Cossack.
Chub refers to long hair in traditional Cossack style.
“Why Chupryna? You see, his loose, free hairstyle - it emphasises his character, his will.
“It's clear from his face that he's a great man.
“So we took his free hairstyle and emphasised it in his surname, so that when people say ‘Boris Chupryna’, everyone understands who we are talking about,” he said.
Cossacks, from Ukraine or southern Russia, are a people noted for for their horsemanship and military prowess, who gained considerable autonomy under the tsars.
The move to honour Johnson is unlikely to go down well among Russian Cossacks, some of whom are fighting for Putin's forces against Ukraine.
Skabeyeva also took issue with a Kyiv bakery producing a “sweet croissant” called Boris JohnsonUK - described as a true British delicacy.
“What is this sickness?” she ranted.
The croissant is designed to look like Johnson with his trademark white crown using meringue and ideally served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, say the bakery.
“If Skabeyeva is on fire with rage because of Johnson, then the croissants will definitely be baked as tastily as possible,” they replied.
It is “inspired by the English apple pie and our mutual favourite's adorable hairstyle, dedicated to our British friends with gratitude for their support in the war against Russia”.
