THIS is the shocking moment a mass brawl erupted during a live Ukrainian TV debate over Vladimir Putin.
Dramatic footage shows Ukrainian journalist Yuriy Butusov punch pro-Russian politician Nestor Shufrych in the face before wrestling him into a headlock.
The lawmaker was attacked after he refused to condemn Vladimir Putin as Russia continues to amass troops on the border for a potential invasion.
Butusov was filmed as he walked up to his fellow guest and hit him in the face, as former PM Arseniy Yatsenyuk and ex-president Petro Poroshenko watched on.
Left bloodied, Shufrych stood up to fight back as the two fell to the ground in a violent scrap before Butusov put his opponent in a headlock.
Amid pleas to stop their violent behaviour, the two were eventually pulled apart before the political discussion resumed.
The brawl was sparked after Shufrych was asked whether Putin is a murderer and a criminal.
He refused to answer and said: “Let Ukraine’s authorities deal with that.”
Former president Poroshenko quickly blasted him for the comments, replying: “There’s a Russian agent right here in the studio.”
The spat came as Ukrainian rebels began to stream into Russia after Pro-Kremlin rebels ordered the mass evacuation of 500,000 people from the captured territories on the country’s borders.
Rebel boss Denys Pushilin warned it was too dangerous for his people to stay after claiming Ukrainian forces tried to launch a doomsday attack on a chlorine plant.
Pushlin said the evacuation of hundreds of thousands from the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic must begin immediately, starting with women and children.
He urged people to leave and cross the border into Russia.
Concurrently, there was also unconfirmed reports of a car bomb exploding in Donetsk as the neighbouring rebel region of Luhansk’s People’s Republic also ordered an evacuation.
Danger posed by a potential attack on the chlorine plant was ramped up by rebels who claimed explosions there could release poison gas, killing thousands.
But the evacuation was ordered despite no explosions at the site and no gas being released.
It is feared the events may be the pretext for war that Vladimir Putin has been waiting for so he can send his army of 200,000 soldiers over the border to invade.
