Russian TV channel ridiculed after publishing interview with dead opera singer

Article claimed the interview took place at the Troyekurovskoye Cemetery in Moscow. However, it was quickly pointed out that opera singer Elena Obraztsova has been dead since 2015

February 25, 1992: Opera singer Elena Obraztsova gets a standing ovation during a performance in the Grand Hall of the State Conservatory in Moscow (Getty)

A Russian TV channel is being ridiculed after it published an interview with an opera singer who died several years ago.

Zvezda, the TV channel of the Russian defence ministry, claimed to have spoken with Elena Obraztsova, who it said attended the funeral of controversial journalist Sergei Dorenko.

According to Russian independent media via the BBC, Zvezda quoted Ms Obraztsova as saying Mr Dorenko was “an uncompromising journalist” who “spoke the truth or did not speak at all”.

The article claimed the interview took place at the Troyekurovskoye Cemetery in Moscow, where Mr Dorenko’s funeral was scheduled to take place on 12 May.

However, the funeral was later reported to be cancelled after the daughters from Mr Dorenko’s first marriage requested further tests be carried out on his body.

It was also pointed out that Ms Obraztsova died in 2015.

Zvezda reportedly changed the story by attributing the quotes to Obraztsova's daughter, but then took it down, according to independent online TV channel Dozhd.

Many social media users took screenshots of the original article before it disappeared from Google cache.

Zvezda has since apologised for the “untruthful report” and said the incident has been investigated, with all responsible held to account.

“TV channel Zvezda formally offers its apology... to everyone who might have seen the publication in question,” the statement said.