Laura Ingraham Corrects Donald Trump Live On-Air About Russia's Ukraine Invasion

Fox News' Laura Ingraham had to correct Donald Trump live on air after he mistakenly believed that she had told him the U.S. had launched an invasion of Ukraine.

The former president had called in to the network on Wednesday night to discuss Russia's military action against Ukraine.

Towards the start of the interview, Ingraham interrupted Trump to state that it appeared Russia had taken part in an "amphibious landing" in the port city of Odessa.

Later on in the segment, Trump criticized the Fox News host after wrongly thinking she had just announced that the U.S. was also invading Ukraine.

"It's a very sad thing, but you know what's also very dangerous is you told me about the amphibious attack by Americans," Trump said.

"You shouldn't be saying that because you and everybody else shouldn't know about it, they should do that secretly, not be doing that through the great Laura Ingraham. They should be doing that secretly. Nobody should know that, Laura."

Ingraham then stops Trump to explain "that was the Russians" who had invaded Ukraine.

"No, no, no, no, no, that would be news," Ingraham added.

Trump also blamed the military action on false claims the 2020 election was rigged.

Ingraham suggested that the Russian invasion was prompted by "a lot of weakness" in the United States and that Russia and President Vladimir Putin had "just decided to go for it" and launch an attack on the neighboring country.

In response, Trump agreed that Putin had decided to declare war in Ukraine because of the "weakness and incompetence and stupidity" of President Joe Biden's administration before repeating his long-dismissed false cries that he had lost the last election because of widespread voter fraud.

"As an American I'm angry about it, and I'm saddened by it, and it all happened because of a rigged election," Trump said.

The former president went on to suggest that inflation and rising illegal immigration would also not have occurred if he had won the last election, while hugely exaggerating the number of migrants crossing the border illegally per month.

"This would have never happened, and that includes inflation, and that includes millions of people pouring in on a monthly basis, far more than three million people, and they're coming from 129 different countries, we have no idea what's happening, and they're destroying our country."

Trump has been sharply criticized this week for describing Putin's move to recognize two self-proclaimed republics in eastern Ukraine as independent before deploying Russian troops to the regions under the guise of "peacekeeping operations" as "genius" and "very savvy."

Putin formally announced Russia's declaration of war just before 6 a.m. Moscow time, with reports of cruise and ballistic missiles striking Ukraine and of Russian helicopters flying into the country arriving soon after.

In a chilling speech, Putin warned that if any other country interferes with Russia's military action, they would "face consequences greater than any you have faced in history.

"All the relevant decisions have been taken. I hope you hear me," Putin said.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba announced that Russia had launched a "full-scale invasion of Ukraine" in the early hours of Wednesday local time.

"Peaceful Ukrainian cities are under strikes. This is a war of aggression. Ukraine will defend itself and will win. The world can and must stop Putin. The time to act is now," Kuleba tweeted.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy introduced martial law in response to Putin's "special military operation" in Donbas while urging residents to stay calm.

"No panic. We are strong. We are ready for everything. We will win over everybody because we are Ukraine," Zelenskyy said.

In a statement, Biden condemned the "unprovoked and unjustified attack" by Russian military forces in Ukraine.

"President Putin has chosen a premeditated war that will bring a catastrophic loss of life and human suffering.

"Russia alone is responsible for the death and destruction this attack will bring, and the United States and its allies and partners will respond in a united and decisive way," Biden said. "The world will hold Russia accountable."