Expletive-laden Putin rant on Georgian TV leads to channel going off air

Giorgi Gabunia, a presenter on the main commercial TV channel in Georgia, used highly offensive language in a message to Vladimir Putin on Sunday. He went on to insult Mr Putin's mother.

Rustavi 2 TV apologised for the outburst and the channel decided to cut transmission for a few hours.

Georgia's prime minister, Mamuka Bakhtadze, deplored Gabunia's rant, saying "this is a war by provocateurs against their country, a dirty and disgusting game with the security of the state and citizens".

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