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'Revenge for not inviting Putin': Internet bashes Russia as fake video of the Queen goes viral

A fake video has been doing the rounds on the Internet, purportedly showing the Queen throwing food to African children

SAINT PETERSBURG, RUSSIA: Russia's television propagandists telecast a fake video to discredit the memory of Queen Elizabeth II. Sources suggest the video is a vindictive reaction to the exclusion of Vladimir Putin from the guest list for the Queen's funeral.

Condolences have poured in from around the world for the late British monarch, with her funeral service to be held at Westminster Abbey on September 19. Thousands of mourners have since traveled down to London to pay their last respects to the Queen, who passed away on Thursday, September 8, bringing an end to a glorious reign of 70 years. Leaders from all corners of the globe will attend the state funeral.

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According to Express UK, the Russian president is unhappy about his exclusion from the list of VIP guests from the historic event. A fake video has been doing the rounds on the Internet, which purportedly shows the Queen throwing food to African children during a visit to the continent.

In the video, the children can be seen scrambling to pick up the scraps. As per the outlet, the fake clip was shown on a program hosted by Russian TV presenter Olga Skabeeva.

The host said, "To understand what Queen Elizabeth was like. This footage shows the Queen in her younger years. And this is how she gave food to the children of the enslaved people in Africa. Just look at that kindness. As though they were animals in a zoo."

She added, "This video embodies the way the West and Anglo Saxons behave towards everyone else in the world."

Social media users pointed out that the footage was filmed by the famous Lumière brothers at least two decades before Her Majesty was born.

One user wrote, "It's not Queen Elizabeth. It is a short filmed by the Lumiere brothers before the queen was born." Another wrote, "Olga has emerged from her cesspit to bring more blatant lies to the Russian public. Filmed in Vietnam, not Africa for starters. Not the Queen, but a French lady. Not food being thrown, but coins. Olga’s lies go on and on and on…"

A third chimed in, "I think it's their revenge for not inviting Putin for funeral." A fourth commented, "Russia have actually put out a statement saying (United Kingdom) is using her majesty’s death to settle old scores with Russia by not inviting Putin."

The Kremlin reacted with fury after learning that no invitation to the funeral had been extended to the Russian President.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry criticized London for what it called a “deeply immoral” use of a national tragedy for geopolitical goals. In a statement published on its website on Thursday, September 15, the Foreign Ministry accused Britain of “making divisive statements in furtherance of its opportunistic aims.”