'It actually makes me feel sick that I worked there': American anchor who sensationally quit Russian state-run TV on-air in protest at Putin sending troops to Ukraine explains her actions

  • Anchor Liz Wahl quit her job on live TV Wednesday to protest Russian President Vladimir Putin's incursion on Ukraine
  • Wahl worked for state-funded Russia Today
  • She is the second RT anchor to speak out against the invasion of Crimea, a sovereign region of Ukraine, by Russian forces
  • On Tuesday anchor Abby Martin said the incursion was 'wrong' but did not quit her job

By Ashley Collman and Lizzie Edmonds

PUBLISHED: 19:56 EST, 5 March 2014 | UPDATED: 06:35 EST, 6 March 2014


An American anchor who quit her job at state-funded Russia Today on air to protest President Vladimir Putin sending troops into the Ukraine has said she 'feels sick' that she worked at the station.

Liz Wahl, who works at RT's Washington, DC bureau, said in her live resignation that she could no longer work for a network that 'whitewashes the actions of Putin'.

She has now further explained her reasons for quitting the channel, saying it is 'not a sound news organization, not when your agenda is making America look bad.'

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Speaking out: Russia Today American anchor Liz Wahl quit her job on live TV Wednesday, saying she couldn't work for a network that 'whitewashes' the actions of Russian President Vladimir Putin'.

Speaking out: Russia Today American anchor Liz Wahl quit her job on live TV Wednesday, saying she couldn't work for a network that 'whitewashes' the actions of Russian President Vladimir Putin'.

Putin has justified the incursion into Crimea as a way of protecting ethnic-Russians in the region who he says are threatened by 'ultra-nationalistic forces' as the country undergoes revolution.

In her resignation, Wahl spoke about how personal the recent developments in the Ukraine are to her. Wahl's grandparents emigrated to the United States from Hungary during that country's revolution in 1956 because of the threat of Soviet forces.

'I'm proud to be an American and believe in disseminating the truth. And that is why after this news cast I'm resigning,' Wahl signed off.

 

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In an interview with the Daily Beast, Wahl said the Kremlin's influence over RT was not overt but 'in order to succeed there you don't question'.

She said: 'In a way you kind of suppress any concerns that you have and play the game.'

Wahl goes on to say: 'It actually makes me feel sick that I worked there. It’s not a sound news organization, not when your agenda is making America look bad.'

President Putin has said military force in Crimea would be a last resort and urged against economic sanctions

President Putin has said military force in Crimea would be a last resort and urged against economic sanctions

Second: Wahl's resignation happened after fellow American RT anchor Abby Martin spoke out on TV to say the incursion on Crimea was 'wrong'

Second: Wahl's resignation happened after fellow American RT anchor Abby Martin spoke out on TV to say the incursion on Crimea was 'wrong'

Following Wahl's resignation, the network responded with a statement posted on their website.

'When a journalist disagrees with the editorial position of his or her organization, the usual course of action is to address those grievances with the editor, and, if they cannot be resolved, to quit like a professional. But when someone makes a big public show of a personal decision, it is nothing more than a self-promotional stunt. We wish Liz the best of luck on her chosen path,' the statement read.

But Wahl isn't the first American to call out RT.

On Tuesday, anchor Abby Martin also spoke out against the Crimean incursion on the network. 

An armed man in military uniform sits atop of a Russian 'GAZ Tigr' infantry mobility vehicle outside the territory of a Ukrainian military unit outside Simferopol, Crimea

An armed man in military uniform sits atop of a Russian 'GAZ Tigr' infantry mobility vehicle outside the territory of a Ukrainian military unit outside Simferopol, Crimea

A Russian soldier looks through the sights of his weapon as Ukrainian servicemen wait at Belbek airport

A Russian soldier looks through the sights of his weapon as Ukrainian servicemen wait at Belbek airport

'I can't say enough how strongly I am against any state intervention in a sovereign nation's affairs. What Russia did is wrong,' Martin said.

After that outburst, Martin's bosses told the National Journal that they would be sending her to Crimea 'to give her an opportunity to make up her own mind from the epicenter of the story'.

After the story was published, Martin responded on Twitter, saying she would not be going to the Crimea, despite RT's statement.

As of Wednesday, Martin is still employed at the network.



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The U.S. A. , a country based on slavery, should not preach about freedom to the rest of the world !!!

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Brilliant career move. In US she just became an instant celebrity and a hero poster child for fight against "evil Russia". My guess - book deal is next and she for sure going to become a go-to expert on anything to do with Russia for US networks. Opportunism at its best - I mean she never had any concerns about bashing America before?

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And now she will be flooded with job offers in the U.S. I hate politics.

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No you will not, because you cannot spell!

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Good for her, the level of russian propaganda is quite frightening, just look at the red arrows on here on any comment daring to question the Kremlins 'fact's. I can only imagine the vitriol and bile that would be directed by these same people at the US if it had done the same thing. How can you believe anything Putin claims when he has the audacity to claim that the armed men are not russian soldiers when they have said they are themselves! Not that i believe anything any leader tells us to be honest but Putin is clearly lying. Even if Yanukovich was considered the legitimate leader, it's irelelavant. I'm sure that the Tsar considered himself the legitimate leader when he was overthrown by the communists so why not bring the Monarchy back to Russia Mr Putin if you are against the overthrow of legitimate leaders? And so did Louis 16th in 1789 so lets bring back the French Monarchy too? What revolution does NOT involve the overthrow of a government or leader who claims legitimacy?

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So if someone does not agree with your opinion on this subject you consider that person to be pushing Russian propaganda? May be you are too blinded by propaganda yourself and can not even see things from a different perspective. Ever thought about that?

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Abby Martin is a brilliant incisive and honest journalist and puts our news channels to shame.

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Using the same logic, if she was all that, Russians wouldn't hire her to bash America on live news would they now?

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RT news is far better than the propaganda we are expected to digest each day. How is it that Putin is demonised for his actions when it is the west via the EU that has destabilised the region - as well as Iraq, Libya, Syria and afghanistan.

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As an American she should flee the country and renounce her citizenship for America's imperialistic attitude.

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We need more women/humans like her in this world. Makes me feel like there is still hope for the human race!

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RT is no different than the BBC where the DG and the Governors are all closely monitored by our Government to make sure the bias is in favour of UK ideals and propoganda

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