A Russian beauty pageant contestant sparked controversy by launching a scathing broadside at her home nation during a competition, calling it a 'beggar'.
Astonishing Natalia Pereverzeva was competing in the Miss Earth competition, an event similar to Miss Universe and other pageants but with a twist - competitors are expected to be both gorgeous and environmentally aware.
When Natalia, 24 was asked a question about what makes her proud of her country, she initially used glowing, if slightly odd, words about her homeland, according to Radio Free Europe.
She said: 'My Russia, it is bright, warm, patched, but it is so pleasant to slumber under it on a winter evening when the storm rages outside.
'My Russia, it is a kind cow with very big eyes, funny horns and always chewing its mouth oh, what sweet milk she gives! Oh, how it smells -- meadow herbs and the sun.'
But then she suddenly and angrily rails against widespread corruption in the troubled nation.
'But my Russia -- it is also my poor, long-suffering country, mercilessly torn to pieces by greedy, dishonest, unbelieving people,' she said.
'My Russia, it is a great artery, from which the 'chosen' few people draining away its wealth. My Russia is a beggar.
'My Russia cannot help her elderly and orphans. From it, bleeding, like from a sinking ship, engineers, doctors, teachers are fleeing, because they have nothing to live on.
