In the program ClapBack, aired by the American Fox News channel on May 18, 2017, the Russian-speaking host Julie Roginsky continued the squabble with the press secretary of the Russian Embassy in the United States, Nicolai (Nick) Lakhonin. Previously, on May 11, during her show Roginsky made several statements in Russian. Then she switched to English and ironically explained to the audience that she wanted to show the “potential owners” of America her knowledge of their language.
Then Ms. Roginsky commented on the current Russian politics and situation with Russian connection to President Trump’s staff. She explained why she used a few Russian phrases. She said, in particular, that when the Russians invade a country or drag it into the sphere of their influence, they force the locals to learn Russian in a process known as Russification. She ironically added that she wanted to make it clear that she they need not worry about her since “I already speak [the] language they typically foist on subjugated nations.” “They are already day by day gradually seizing our [American] government. Their last step along the way was the dismissal of FBI Director, James Comey,” she said.
In a Twitter message in reaction to the May 11th broadcase, Lakhonin called her speech Russophobic. Roginsky replied that it was “nice to be trolled by the Russian embassy, which apparently forgets how Soviets forced those in their “sphere of influence” to learn Russian”. She also suggested that Lakhonin learn the history of his country and remember the forced Russification of national minorities that was carried out by the USSR in the 1930s.
In answer to Lakhonin’s tweet that Fox News must apologize Roginsky stated: “You apologize for cyber-espionage, illegally annexing Crimea & I’ll apologize for my Moscow accent not being what it once was.”