War of words: Russian news anchor claims Marines in Iwo Jima Memorial are gay after CNN called a Belarusian WWII memorial 'ugly'

CNN included a Soviet-era WWII memorial on a list of the world's ugliest monuments, saying that the soldier looks 'constipated'

Russian foreign minister issued an official reprimand to CNN's Moscow correspondent and the list was eventually taken down from their website

News anchor on Russian state television then suggested that the marines in the American Iwo Jima memorial were gay because of their stance



A war of words has begun between a top Russian news station and CNN with the networks trading insults after an American correspondent insulted one of Russia’s WWII monuments and then a Russian anchor shot back by suggesting that two of the soldiers in the American Iwo Jima monument were simulating gay sex.

CNN caused a firestorm when it included a war monument in Brest, a city in the former Soviet republic of Belarus, in an article on the 'world's ugliest monuments' published last month.

The piece said the Soviet soldier 'emerging from a mountainous block of concrete looks as if he's about to thump the West into submission before hurling North America at the sun.'



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Made the cut: CNN included this WWII memorial in Brest on a list of the ugliest monuments in the world, saying that the solider looked 'constipated' and 'looks as if he's about to thump the West into submission'

It also noted that others think the soldier 'simply looks constipated.'

On February 6, CNN edited the story on its website and added a note apologizing for the offense it caused in Belarus and Russia.

The county’s role in the second World War is still one of the nation's proudest moments so it comes as little surprise that any slights against the effort are taken extremely personally.

The day after the CNN story was published, the Russian Foreign Ministry took the unusual step of summoning CNN's Moscow correspondent for an official reprimand.

The journalist was told that 'mocking the memory of Soviet soldiers who gave their lives for the victory over fascism cannot be justified or forgiven,' the ministry said in a statement on its website.

The U.S. network then withdrew the article entirely.

Striking back: A news anchor on Russian state television said that the Marines in the American Iwo Jima memorial were gay because of the way they are depicted

Inspiration: The memorial is based off the famous photograph of Marines raising the flag on Mount Suribachi

'CNN apologizes for the unintended offense caused by an article from a contributor that was intended to be a humorous look at monumental architecture worldwide,' it said in a statement.

Taking it personally: This pro-Kremlin protestor demonstrated how ht issue is hurting Russian's feelings

'We recognize that the Courage Monument carries deep and significant symbolism in honoring the soldiers who gave their lives defending their nation.'

That wasn't enough, however, as a controversial news anchor on Rossiya state television then went after CNN during his weekly show, which aired Sunday night following the team skating competition in Sochi that gave Russia its first gold medal of the Winter Games.

As pictures of the monumental Brest sculpture filled the screen, Dmitry Kiselyov told viewers how the Americans had ridiculed the Soviet soldier depicted in the war memorial.

He then showed a picture of the Marine Corps War Memorial sculpture shot from behind, so that the U.S. Marines raising the flag during the Battle of Iwo Jima were bent over one another.

'It's easy to mock,' Kiselyov said with his trademark smirk.

'A fevered subconscious could ascribe just about anything to it. Take a closer look: A very modern theme, is it not?'

Kiselyov has often led the attack on Americans, gays or other groups that top the Kremlin agenda. As international criticism over a Russian law banning gay 'propaganda' reached a fever pitch last year, he said homosexuals' hearts should be buried or burned.