Rossia journalist Boris Sobolev questioning Mrs. Russia 2012 Inna Zhirkova (Russian only).
Inna Zhirkova, the 23-year-old mother of two and wife of Makhachkala Anzhi soccer star Yury Zhirkov, has fallen into a state of depression after the interview attracted a barrage of ridicule, Komsomolskaya Pravda reported.
She has decided to step down as Mrs. Russia, a title that she won in November, and will not participate in the contest this year, the newspaper said.
Zhirkova's supporters say she was baited by a reporter with Rossia state television, who interviewed her as part of an documentary about beauty pageant scams titled "Crowned Heads." A two-minute segment from the film was subsequently posted on YouTube with the title, "Footballist Zhirkov's Wife: She Has Money but No Brains." The clip has racked up more than 4.7 million views and hundreds of biting comments over the past two weeks.
In the interview, the reporter notes that Zhirkova was crowned as the most beautiful and "active" mother in Russia and asks her how she is active.
Zhirkova replies that she actually is not active. Asked whether she has ever held a job, she replies, "For now I have not had any need to work."
Later the reporter asks Zhirkova whether the Earth revolves around the sun or the sun revolves around the Earth. A flustered-looking Zhirkova says, "Probably the sun — no, the Earth." When pressed to chose one, she laughs and says, "I don't know!"
Related articles:
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.