You're reading: Meteorologist’s weather forecast sparks political storm

Audio of Lyudmila Savchenko's famous weather prediction

Ukraine’s state radio company cancelled live weather reports after a meteorologist criticized the nation’s leadership during her 2 1/2-minute, May 12 weather forecast.

Lyudmyla Savchenko, a 30-year veteran who heads the forecasting section of Ukraine’s meteorological service, started her report poetically describing the spring weather.

“One cannot remain indifferent to this beauty which shows in the tender scent of lilac and lily of the valley and the melodious trilling of the birds,” she said on the National Radio Company of Ukraine.

“At times it seems that such miraculous days are a gift from nature to compensate us for the chaos, lawlessness and injustice which reigns in our country. It is simply incomprehensible that anyone can dislike this paradise on earth, this country, the Ukrainian people so much that they treat it so badly.”

The station confirmed its management decision to cancel live broadcasts from the weather center in favor of pre-recorded weather reports.

“The key point is if a person speaks about the weather then they should talk about it,” said Roman Chaikovsky, deputy general director of the National Radio Company of Ukraine. “When a person speaks about the weather then they should do it efficiently, in a qualified manner and smartly — but about the weather, and that’s all,” he told Ukrainska Pravda news portal.

In a video interview with media watchdog Telekritika, Savchenko said she spoke about what was on her mind that day.

“We have free speech in Ukraine so why couldn’t I say what was on my mind?” she asked.

Her critical weather report had more than 36,000 views on YouTube as of May 19.

The general director of the national radio station is Taras Avrakhov, President Viktor Yanukovych’s former press secretary.

Kyiv Post staff writer Mark Rachkevych can be reached at [email protected].