(Moscow) On Monday night, a woman exploded on a highly-watched news broadcast in Russia with a sign criticizing a military attack in Ukraine, a very rare sight in a country where information is strictly controlled.
Released at 5:02 p.m.
Updated to 5:58 pm.
The NGO OVD-Info, which protects the rights of protesters, shows the woman as Marina Ovsyanikova, an employee of the chain, who announced that she had been arrested and taken to police.
The scene took place during the main evening news program of the country’s most powerful television channel, the Pervy Canal, known as “Vremia” (“time”), a daily meeting of millions of Russians since the Soviet era.
Speaking of celebrity presenter Ekaterina Andreeva, Ms.Me Ovsyanikova said behind her, “No war. Do not trust the campaign. You’re lying here. ”
Can we still read the flag-drawn sign of Ukraine and Russia, “Russians are anti-war”?
Without interruption, the presenter spoke for a few seconds, the protester chanting “Stop the war”, and then the channel hastily aired a report on the hospitals, thus ending the live broadcast on the set.
“An internal investigation is underway into the incident,” Bervy Canal said in a statement.
According to the Toss News Agency, the young woman could be prosecuted for “discrediting the use of Russian armed forces”.
The Russian government has recently enacted a number of laws that impose up to 15 years in prison for spreading what officials consider to be “misinformation” about the military.
Prosecution will only take place if the media or individuals use the word “war” to describe Russian intervention in Ukraine.
“Extraordinary Courage”
Video of the incident spread like wildfire on social media, with many Internet users praising the woman’s “extraordinary courage” in the face of brutal repression against all forms of dissent.
Since the intervention in Ukraine began on February 24, several thousand protesters have been arrested in Russia, including 5,000 on March 6 alone.
“Russia’s salvation is only available to women like her!” “, One user on Twitter got excited and another called for” immediate protection “.
Leonid Volkov, a close friend of rival Alexei Navalny, was jailed after being poisoned last year, saying on Twitter that his movement was “ready to pay any fines”.Me Ovsianikova.
In a video previously recorded and released by OVD-Info, M.S.Me Ovsyanikova explains that the two countries cannot be seen as enemies because his father is Ukrainian and his mother is Russian.
“Unfortunately, I worked for Pervy Coal for the last few years and campaigned for the Kremlin. Today I am very ashamed,” he said.
“I’m ashamed of allowing lies to be broadcast on television, I’m ashamed of allowing the Russian people to ‘zombie’,” he adds.
In an attempt to control all information about the conflict, authorities have blocked more independent media and key social networks such as Twitter and Facebook.
As a result, most Russians can only access the version published by the government and the Kremlin-controlled media, including Pervy Coal of “special military action” aimed at “reducing” and preventing “genocide” in Ukraine.
