Russia-Ukraine War: Extraordinary act of defiance on Russian state TV

An employee of Russian state TV has protested the war live during a news broadcast. Photo / Twitter

An employee of Russian state TV has interrupted her own channel's live news broadcast to protest against the war in Ukraine, in an extraordinary act of defiance.

The incident happened during Russian station Channel One's evening news broadcast. The woman ran into shot behind the newsreader holding a sign that read: "No war. Stop the war. Don't believe the propaganda. They're lying to you here."

She was also chanting the words "stop the war".

As the footage spread online, prominent human rights lawyer Pavel Chikov said the woman "needs to be protected urgently". He identified her as Marina Ovsyannikova, an employee of the channel, and said she had been taken to the Ostankino police department.

She will reportedly face charges for "discrediting the Russian armed forces", which can carry a prison term of up to 15 years.

I went through the trouble of running back on this broadcast through an ultra sketchy website because I didn't believe it. It's absolutely real. Happened about half an hour ago. This is one of Russia's most widely-viewed channels. https://t.co/FSldUGge5v

— Alejandro Alvarez (@aletweetsnews) March 14, 2022

Ovsyannikova recorded a video message in Russian before her protest, in which she denounced the war, said her father was Ukrainian, and said she was ashamed of spreading Putin's propaganda.

"What is happening in Ukraine right now is a crime, and Russia is the aggressor country. The responsibility for this aggression lies on the conscience of only one person. This person is Vladimir Putin," she said.

"My father is Ukrainian, my mother is Russian. They have never been enemies. this necklace on my neck is like a symbol of the need for Russia to immediately stop this fratricidal war. Our people can still make peace.

"Unfortunately, during these past years, I have been working at Channel One, involved in Kremlin propaganda. I am very ashamed of this. Ashamed because I allowed lies to be told from the TV screen.

"Right now the whole world has turned away from us. Ten generations of our descendants will not be able to wash off the shame of this fratricidal war.

"We are Russian people. A thinking and smart people. Only we have the power to stop this madness. Go to protests. Do not be afraid. They cannot put us all in jail."

Many thousands of Russians have already been arrested for protesting against the war, including more than 4000 on Sunday alone.

A video the TV network employee Maria Ovsyannikova recorded before storming the live Russian state news broadcast with a protest sign is now circulating. In it, she says her father is Ukrainian, her mother is Russian, and blames Putin for the war, calling on Russians to protest. pic.twitter.com/7yICeugRfe

— Paul Sonne (@PaulSonne) March 14, 2022