Because of her protest against the Ukraine war on Russian television, she was celebrated as a heroine. Now the journalist Marina Ovsyannikova fears for her life.
The Russian TV journalist, who held a placard protesting Russia’s war in Ukraine during the news on state television, does not want to leave her country despite fears for her safety.
“We will stay in Russia,” said Marina Owsyannikova in an interview with “Spiegel” about herself and her two children – she has a 17-year-old son and an 11-year-old daughter. She is very worried, but: “I am a patriot, my son (is) a much bigger one. We definitely don’t want to leave, we don’t want to emigrate anywhere.” She knows: “My life has changed forever, I’m only slowly realizing that. I can’t go back to my old life.”
The editor of Russian state television held a protest poster against the war in Ukraine into the camera on Monday evening’s main news channel One. The poster also read that the viewers “are being lied to here”. In addition, in a separately recorded video, Ovsyannikova described the Russian attack on Ukraine as a crime. Talking about a war is forbidden in Russian state media. The state leadership calls the action in the neighboring country a “special military operation” for the “demilitarization” and “denazification” of Ukraine.
She is currently hiding with friends, Owssjannikova told the “Spiegel”. She is very afraid of the consequences of her actions and worried about her safety. But she “has already passed the point of no return,” says the journalist. “I can now speak openly and publicly.” At the time of her protest, she didn’t think about the far-reaching consequences, said Ovssyannikova. ‘I’m aware of you now. More and more every day, »said the 44-year-old.
Ovssyannikova was sentenced to a fine of 30,000 rubles, around 226 euros, for her action on Tuesday. However, she may face another punishment: Investigations into the alleged spread of lies about Russia’s armed forces have been launched, the state agency Tass reported, citing a source with the investigative authorities. It was feared that Ovssyannikova could still be prosecuted under the new media law, which provides for up to 15 years in prison.
She also developed an awareness of a reality beyond the official view of the Russian state leadership when dealing with foreign news and foreign media. “I understand that every state is fighting for its interests, we are in an information war,” said the journalist. “In our country, however, state propaganda had assumed terrible forms even before the war in Ukraine. Now that the war is on, it is impossible to endure the propaganda.”
After her action, her life will now be “completely different,” says Owssjannikova, even if she doesn’t know what will happen. “Nobody can plan anymore anyway.” The Russian war against Ukraine “destroyed all plans”.
Source: Stern
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