From there the interview quickly escalated into accusations of water-carrying and stupidity, as Cuomo accused Lavelle of dodging his queries to protect Russia and Lavelle accused Cuomo of asking loaded questions intended to assign blame ahead of facts.

“Here’s the difference between you and me, Peter. You are obsessed with clearing Russia from culpability,” Cuomo said, going on to say he “seemed to be acting like a representative of Russia.” “Why should you carry water for Russia when you’re supposed to be a journalist?”

“You carry water for the U.S. State Department,” Lavelle said, calling Cuomo’s questions stupid and added that western joiurnalists were “denying the agency of people in eastern Ukraine. You just think they’re puppets of Russia. That’s simply not true.”