Alex Salmond should “surrender” money he has earned from his Russia Today show to Ukrainian charities, the Scottish Lib Dems claimed.
Party leader Alex Cole-Hamilton claimed the ex-first minister had “enriched” himself while “lending credibility” to Vladimir Putin’s regime.
Mr Salmond suspended his programme on Russia Today after Mr Putin’s invasion but has so far refused to permanently cancel it.
His show on the state broadcaster first started in 2017, years after Russia first annexed Crimea.
‘Lending credibility to Putin’
Mr Cole-Hamilton said: “Salmond’s association with a Kremlin backed broadcaster enriched him while lending any credibility and influence he had left to the interests of the Putin regime.
“The decent thing now would be for him to surrender those proceeds to charities helping Ukraine and its people in this their most desperate hour.”
Mr Salmond previously said his Russia Today show would be off air until peace was re-established in Ukraine.
The former first minister insisted there had never been any editorial interference in his show.
Responding to Mr Cole-Hamilton, the ex-first minister said: “I am not and never have been employed by Russia Today. I have no continuing relationship with Russia Today – financial or otherwise.
“Slàinte Media is an independent Scottish production company in which I have a minority share. Slàinte was contracted to produce a political programme which was broadcast on Russia Today, and which I presented.
“On the day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, I took the unilateral decision to suspend the programme and announced so publicly.
“I have opposed every illegal invasion by one country of another for the last thirty years, regardless of the countries involved. This is an illegal invasion. My action was immediate, decisive and, given how this tragedy has unfolded, final.”
He added: “I have never advertised my charitable donations or used them for political purposes. In the years since I became First Minister of Scotland I have donated over £230,000 to charities and good causes.”
Mr Salmond was heavily criticised in a scathing open letter from an Aberdeen University history expert.
Prof Robert Frost claimed his broadcast had given Vladimir Putin “respectability” simply by airing.
Mr Salmond came under further pressure after it emerged a prospective Alba Party candidate called the Russian leader his “hero”.
Mr Cole-Hamilton previously urged Mr Salmond not to be Mr Putin’s “useful idiot” and branded him an “embarrassment” to Scotland.
Nicola Sturgeon said she was “appalled” that her predecessor was still linked to the channel before his show was suspended.
It came as she added her voice to calls for it to be axed completely in Britain.
Mr Salmond claimed that banning Russia Today entirely in the UK would be a “counterproductive” move.
On March 14, the UK Government launched their Homes for Ukraine scheme allowing people to sponsor refugees seeking shelter here.