'Tell me straight!': Putin berates own spy chief over recognition of Ukrainian breakaway regions

Russian state television captured a tense exchange between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his chief spy during a meeting on recognizing the independence of two breakaway republics in eastern Ukraine on Monday.

Putin interrupted Foreign intelligence chief Sergei Naryshkin's speech to berate him for saying he "will support" the recognition of the regions instead of "support."

The televised meeting was meant to show their leader carefully arriving at an important decision after weighing all the advice from key ministers and officials - giving Putin the chance to demonstrate his influence over his most senior officials.

"Will support or do support? Tell me straight, Sergei Yevgenievich..." Putin said with a smile.

#GlobalNews

[JustPippaNY]

Sergei is definitely giving off a "What can I say that will allow me to leave this building alive?" vibe here.

[yuema]

I often felt bad after being grilled reporting out a project progress and thought I had the worst job. This dude's life is on the line, .

[purplehaze]

Never, ever have such enormous bricks been shat on live TV.

[samantathaver]

The fear on the Minister’s face when questioned by Putin

[johnhyle]

You don’t have to speak Russian to see that this man is scared for his life…

[menacexp]

RIP Sergei - you served your country well

[LuisLascanoValarezo]

Putin: _Speak plainly_
Sergey: _We should append Luhansk and Donetsk_
Putin: *Not that plainly*

[leonniceday]

Jesus... it looks like that spy chief was really scared about what he was going to say...

[aniketdas]

100 years hence shall start a Russian folklore: "In a remote corner of Russia there lived Simple Sergei who spoke very plainly...."

[marcoviola]

a "spy chief" is supposed to be a tough and powerful person...but he was scared as hell by Putin. So, just imagine what this man is capable of...and Sergei knows it.

[archetypealchmy]

That man was never seen or heard from again.

[dhung]

Reminds me of a certain scene from Austin Powers. You almost expect Putin would push a bottom and this fellow would drop into an incinerator, and then a few seconds later a voice came from down under "I am still alive! Only I'm very badly burned..."

[theseageek]

“Speak plainly Sergei!”

*Massive HP bar appears above Putin’s head*

[MasiukA]

"In other news, Sergei Naryshkin has mysteriously disappeared".

[Mr.Bassman]

Oops the spy chief slipped up and actually said he supports the full addition of the the territories to the Russian Federation and Putin awkwardly laughed it off saying they "support independence". Now that's a real slip.

[Flowshow]

That man looks terrified. Very unprofessional of Putin to cut him off and basically tell him he is next to be assassinated 😆

[abe_ismain]

It’s not easy to be working in the public sector

[billtwok]

The only man in the room with an ounce of courage. He tried to protect Russia from Putin's idiocy.

[jeanbanks]

Poor Sergei, the answer here is, whatever Putin hope we see Sergei again in the background to know he is still alive.😬

[ghostbusterstony]

Yea who can blame him for being evasive. If he says “Dunbass isn’t a separate independent state” he would be dead by morning