The moment a Hungarian news channel mistakes Ukrainians for Wigan Athletic fans chanting Will Grigg song

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HirTV posted footage of Wigan Athletic fans singing from 2016 claiming it was Ukraine celebrating the attack on the Crimean Bridge on Monday (17 July)

In one of the biggest mixups in live broadcast history, a Hungarian TV station was covering the Crimean Bridge attack when it remarkably aired footage of Wigan Athletic football fans chanting 'Will Grigg's On Fire' from 2016.

HirTV claimed the video was to showcase the euphoria in Ukraine, after a Ukrainian security official claimed responsibility for the incident which claimed two lives. The structure links the Crimean peninsula to Russia which has become a vital supply route for the Russian war effort.

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Alongside the title 'Ukrainians are swimming in the euphoria of victory', footage of the destroyed bridge is cut with scenes from 2016 of Wigan Athletic fans singing and chanting about Northern Ireland footballer Will Grigg, who left the League One football team four-years-ago. The famous chant was to the tune of 90s classic Freed From Desire by Gala.

Footage of Wigan fans singing in 2016 was mistaken as Ukrainians celebrating the Crimean Bridge attack by Hungarian TV station HirTV - Credit: Getty / YouTubeFootage of Wigan fans singing in 2016 was mistaken as Ukrainians celebrating the Crimean Bridge attack by Hungarian TV station HirTV - Credit: Getty / YouTube
Footage of Wigan fans singing in 2016 was mistaken as Ukrainians celebrating the Crimean Bridge attack by Hungarian TV station HirTV - Credit: Getty / YouTube | Getty

The song quickly caught on in the footballing world and cemented itself as an internet sensation, which led to house group Blonde releasing the rendition as an official track. Fellow teams and even other sports have since been inspired by the chant, with supporters making up their own versions for their favourite players and much more.

The news channel's mishap has been slammed since its release, labelled as 'propaganda' by a number of pro-Putin politicians and officials. Green MEP Daniel Freud was one of the first to react to the video and said it was a "disgrace".

Frued wrote on Twitter: "Orban propaganda at its most extreme. Hungarian "news" station HirTV claims Ukrainians were celebrating the destruction of Crimea bridge in a pub. Except, it's not Hungarians but fans of Wigan Athletic - chanting "Will Griggs on fire". What a disgrace!".

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The attack on the Crimean Bridge killed two people, Natalya Kuli, 36, and her husband, Alexie, while their 14-year-old daughter Angelina remains in intensive care and continues to receive treatment. The 12-mile-long road was shut after 3am on Monday (17 July) - which is the second in just under a year - and is believed to have been caused by remote jet-skis.

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