Russian TV network distances itself from news anchor’s endorsement of same-sex civil unions

One of the most controversial conservative pundits in the Russian television, Dmitry Kiselyov, has unexpectedly stated his support for same-sex civil unions. In comments broadcast on the latest episode of his weekly TV show, Vesti Nedeli, Kiselyov encouraged Russians to embrace the idea of civil unions, without accepting gay marriage. The press office of VGTRK, Kiselyov’s employer, told Govorit Moskva radio station that his comments in support of same-sex civil unions do not represent the views of the television station.

In April 2012, Kiselyov infamously said on live television that gays should be prohibited from donating “blood, sperm, and other vital organs.” In the event that a homosexual person dies in a car accident, he even advocated “burying or burning” their heart, “as it is unfit for extending anyone's life,” suggesting that sexually transmitted diseases in the gay community pose too great a risk.

On his TV show this week, Kiselyov told viewers, “We can manage to make life easier for adults who want—both informally and formally—the responsibility of taking care of each other. In the end, love works wonders, and who’s against that?” Kiselyov also stated plainly, “The LGBT community is a fact.”

This is not the first unexpected