US journalist Tucker Carlson caught on camera entering Russian complex for Putin interview

#putin #tuckercarlson #russia
NEW footage shows US journalist Tucker Carlson entering the Russian presidential administration with a film crew as the Kremlin refused to comment on whether he was interviewing Vladimir Putin.

Rumors are mounting that the former Fox News host is poised to become the first Western journalist to interview the 71-year-old dictator during the war against Ukraine.

Carlson was captured arriving at the presidential administration in footage obtained by the Izvestia news outlet.

Earlier he had been seen leaving his hotel in downtown Moscow as his team was loading equipment into a vehicle.

Izvestia is ultimately controlled by the conglomerate National Media Group, which is headed by the dictator’s long-term lover Alina Kabaeva - a 40-year-old former Olympic gold medal-winning rhythmic gymnast.

On Monday, the car used by Carlson was also reportedly seen leaving the Russian presidential administration.

Putin’s powerful spokesman Dmitry Peskov, believed to have green-lighted an interview, said: "I am not commenting in any way on the movements of an American journalist.”

Suggesting there may be more news later, he said: "At the moment, we have nothing to report.”

The US journalist was also seen in his hotel restaurant with colleagues, according to footage by RT.

On February 1, he was spotted flying to Moscow via Istanbul, and following his arrival, he visited the world-famous Bolshoi Theatre.

Pro-Kremlin Telegram channel Bezgranichny Analitik [Endless Analyst] said it would be Putin’s first sit-down interview with a Western journalist since his “special military operation” against Ukraine was launched almost two years ago.

"Be assured, this time Putin will be heard by many in the West," the channel revealed.

Pro-Kremlin state media outlet 360TV showed a propaganda-style image of Carlson against the backdrop of St Basil’s Cathedral.

Putin was likely to face a friendlier inquisitor than in previous interviews with US journalists, predicted a channel linked to state media RIA Novosti.

“Maybe he’ll be more lucky with Tucker Carlson — it is said the TV host, who openly sympathizes with Russia, has come here in the hope of talking to Putin.”

Carlson was one of the first major media figures to criticize US support of Ukraine in a segment of his wildly popular Fox News program Tucker Carlson Tonight.

His critiques of Zelensky and NATO's support of the war have since been adopted by GOP leaders who argue the estimated $75 billion in US support could be spent elsewhere.

Peskov has earlier doubted the point of an interview with the Western media.

"[Western] society has been stupefied by Russophobic propaganda,” he claimed.

Pro-Kremlin commentator Sergei Markov said the US “trembles in anticipation of the interview of America's most popular enemy, Putin, with America's most popular journalist, Tucker Carlson.

“It is believed that Putin can tell the Americans through Tucker Carlson that the Americans will throw Biden into the political dustbin of presidents and elect Trump as president.

“And Trump's Biden gang will be sent to prison for election fraud.

“So they tremble.”

But another commentator Ivan Filippov mocked the hopes of pro-war commentators that a Carlson interview could change Western perceptions of Putin.

“The Z-patriotic hysteria about the visit to Moscow of the real American Tucker Carlson, who will help the sun-faced leader finally breakthrough the 'information blockade' and tell the 'truth' to the West, has reached such proportions that even highly-paid propagandists have become embarrassed,” he said.

Journalist Andrey Medvedev said: “[For] the third day I observe with interest the amazing things.

“How people who ridicule Ukrainians for their obsequious curtseys in front of European politicians and public figures carefully record Tucker Carlson's every step and sneeze in Moscow.

“He arrived, he ate, he drank tea.