"For Muscovites, anything that isn't Moscow is Siberia."
In a video dedicated to the 102nd anniversary of the Komi Republic, a Channel One journalist called one of the region's cities, Ukhta, "the pearl of Siberia."
The video "Komi Republic. A Must-See" aired on the program "Good Morning" on Komi Republic's birthday, August 22nd. The host talked about Ukhta's fame: the enormous Lenin statue, the unique Paras'kin Lakes, and the restored Palace of Pioneers with its Soviet mosaics.
"Ukhta is a truly extraordinary city. The pearl of Siberia and the capital of oil workers," the journalist said. The video is still available on the Channel One website.
Ukhta residents weren't outraged by the journalist's mistake, but rather amused. In comments on Channel One's public page, Ukhta residents write that Muscovites don't care whether it's Komi or Siberia.
It's worth noting that Ukhta is indeed called the "pearl," not of Siberia, but of the North. It is said to have received this name for its "natural wealth." Ukhta emerged on the site of the oil workers' settlement of Chibyu in 1929. In 1939, the settlement was renamed Ukhta, and in 1942, it became a city.
Video: Channel One