Conservative US TV star Tucker Carlson has been branded "essential" by the Kremlin, which has reportedly told Russian media outlets they must promote him as much as possible.
State-friendly Russian news organisations were told to use as much of the prime time Fox News host as possible after Russia's invasion of Ukraine late last month, US magazine Mother Jones reported citing leaked Kremlin documents.
"It is essential to use as much as possible fragments of broadcasts of the popular Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who sharply criticises the actions of the United States [and] NATO, their negative role in unleashing the conflict in Ukraine, [and] the defiantly provocative behaviour from the leadership of the Western countries and NATO towards the Russian Federation and towards President Putin, personally," the memo says.
Carlson, a harsh critic of US President Joe Biden's administration, is the most-watched host on Fox News - a right-wing television channel based in New York.
The 52-year-old political commentator, who has hosted Tucker Carlson Tonight since 2016, has recently faced backlash for his praise of Russian President Vladimir Putin - with some accusing him of fuelling Putin's justification "propaganda" for invading Ukraine.
According to Mother Jones, neither the host nor Fox News responded to requests for comment on the leaked Kremlin documents.
Jonathan Karl, ABC News' chief White House correspondent, has repeatedly called Carlson out for his comments on Russia - labelling them "bullshit".
"Serious question for @TuckerCarlson - why echo the bogus claims Vladimir Putin is making to justify his war crimes in Ukraine?
"He did it again last night - used the top of his show to amplify and defend Russian propaganda about 'secret' bio labs in Ukraine," Karl commented on Twitter.
A controversial conservative figure in the US, Carlson has repeatedly been accused of fuelling misinformation. More recently, he's faced backlash for challenging both the efficacy and safety of COVID-19 vaccines.
