Hardly believable scene on Russian television this Monday. A woman interrupted Russia’s most-watched newscast, holding up an anti-war Ukraine sign and decrying state propaganda.
The scene happened on the country’s most powerful television channel, Pervy Kanal, during star presenter Ekaterina Andreyeva’s newscast, followed by millions of Russians.
As the host was speaking, a protester appeared behind her. “No to war. Don’t believe the propaganda. We are lying to you, here”, could we read on his sign, on which were also drawn the flags of Ukraine and Russia. She also chanted her slogan “no to war”.
Diversion during Channel One main state TV evening show tonight – a woman with No to War poster yells stop the war. Channel One already “probing the incident regarding the outsider’s presence during live broadcast.” pic.twitter.com/wHyV9lyHZe
— Mary Ilyushina (@maryilyushina) March 14, 2022
Internet users salute his courage
An extremely rare event in the country, where information is strictly controlled, and even more since the beginning of the Russian invasion. If the scene lasted only a few seconds, the channel launching in disaster the broadcast of a report in a hospital, it has since been around social networks. Many Internet users salute the courage of this protester.
According to the NGO defending the rights of protesters OVD-Info, the protester would be Marina Ovsiannikova, a journalist employed by the channel. After her intervention, she was arrested and taken to the police station. She faces prosecution for “discrediting the use of Russian armed forces.”
An internal investigation has also been launched, the television channel said in a statement.
Before interrupting the JT, Marina Ovsiannikova had recorded a video in which she denounced the propaganda of Pervy Kanal. “I am ashamed of having allowed lies to be broadcast on television, ashamed of having allowed the Russian people to be ‘zombified'”, she explains. The journalist also specified that her father is Ukrainian and her Russian mother.
Before the woman – editor Maria Ovsiannikova – stormed the set she prerecorded this video message saying: “What is going on in Ukraine is a crime.” pic.twitter.com/54MwxTuFZn
— Mary Ilyushina (@maryilyushina) March 14, 2022
To muzzle opponents of the war, Russian authorities recently passed a law cracking down on “false information” about the activities of the Russian military in Ukraine. People who demonstrate or call for demonstrations face fines and even prison sentences for violations.
Most independent media, as well as the social networks Twitter and Facebook, have also been blocked.