Editor stages anti-war protest during live Russian news broadcast

On Monday evening, an editor at Russian state-controlled TV group, Channel One, staged an unprecedented anti-war protest during a live broadcast. As the nightly news was read, Marina Ovsyannikova held up a sign reading, "No war, stop the war, don't believe the propaganda, they are lying to you here."

She simultaneously spoke in protest of Russia's war in Ukraine, while the news anchor attempted to continue the broadcast. The channel then switched to a pre-recorded segment.

U.S. senator Bernie Sanders tweeted the video to his 12.4 million followers, calling it "an act of incredible courage." Through many shares, the clip went viral, and was picked up by international media.

Following the protest, Ovsyannikova is believed to be in police custody.

State media in Russia continue to refer to the war as a "special military operation," using Putin's own language, as the Russian government recently passed legislation making it illegal for state media to call it an "invasion" or a "war."

Before the demonstration, Ovsyannikova released a pre-recorded a video of herself calling the war in Ukraine a "crime."

"I am ashamed I let lies be told through the television screen. Ashamed that I allowed Russian people to be zombified," she said, translated by Mashable.

In the clip, released through human rights group OVD-Info, Ovsyannikova wore a necklace in shades of blue and yellow, to reflect the Ukrainian flag. She also spoke about how her father is Ukranian while her mother is Russian.

On the editor's Facebook page, she received a fleet of comments, thanking her in Ukrainian, Russian, and English.

UPDATE: Mar. 15, 2022, 2:30 p.m. UTC Added update below.

Following reports that Ovsyannikova's whereabouts were unknown following her arrest, a photograph of the editor was shared on Telegram, seemingly in court sitting beside human rights lawyer Anton Gashinsky.

She has reportedly been accused of "an administrative offense under protesting laws, not fake news laws," according to journalist Mary Ilyushina.

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