December 01, 2019

Televised Bravery


Televised Bravery

The primetime news on Channel One, hosted by the stone-faced Katerina Andreyeva, is the jewel in the crown of Russia's propaganda machine. But on Monday, the program was interrupted by a woman who yelled "Stop the war! No war!" and managed to show a giant sign saying, "Don't believe the propaganda! They are lying to you!" for several seconds before the camera turned off.

 

The bold action shocked and awed Russians, going instantly viral: very rarely does state television show any chinks in its armor (though some foreigners working for RT have quit live on air). Channel One news is Russia's most-watched channel and has what is considered the best coverage in the country, seen by millions of people.

The woman was quickly identified as Marina Ovsyannikova, who worked for the channel as an editor.

Prior to bursting into the studio, Ovsyannikova recorded a statement on video.

Here is the full text in English:

 

"What is happening right now in Ukraine is a crime, Russia is an aggressor country and the responsibility for this aggression is on just one person, and this person is Vladimir Putin. My father is Ukrainian, my mother is Russian, and they have never been enemies. This necklace I am wearing is a symbol -- Russia must immediately stop this fratricidal war and our brotherly nations can still find peace. Unfortunately, over the last years, I have been working on Channel One, I was involved in Kremlin propaganda, and I am now very ashamed. I am ashamed that I allowed lies to be told from TV screens, I am ashamed that I let them zombify Russian people. We were silent in 2014, when all of this was just starting, we did not protest when the Kremlin poisoned Navalny. We were just silently watching this inhuman regime, and now the entire world has turned away from us. Ten generations following our children will not be able to wash away the shame of this fratricidal war. We are Russian people, we are thinking and intelligent people, and only we can stop this madness. Go out to the streets, don't be afraid, they cannot put us all in jail."

In the atmosphere of fear and tightening repressions, where people are arrested even for holding a blank piece of paper, Ovsyannikova's action was praised by many as incredibly brave. Rights groups quickly dispatched lawyers to help her deal with the legal consequences of her protest. Her bold gesture will undoubtedly be remembered by many.

The Guardian newspaper's front page for Tuesday, March 15

On Tuesday, Ovsyannikova was fined for her protest, after what she described as a 14-hour-long interrogation. By Russian law, a person cannot be arrested on an administrative charge if they take care of minors (Ovsyannikova has two children). However, reports said the Russian Investigative Committee is also looking into charging her with a criminal offense, which could carry up to 10 years in prison.

See Also

Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar is a hilarious and insightful memoir by a diplomat who was “present at the creation” of US-Soviet relations. Charles Thayer headed off to Russia in 1933, calculating that if he could just learn Russian and be on the spot when the US and USSR established relations, he could make himself indispensable and start a career in the foreign service. Remarkably, he pulled it of.
Life Stories: Original Fiction By Russian Authors

Life Stories: Original Fiction By Russian Authors

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.
Dostoyevsky Bilingual

Dostoyevsky Bilingual

Bilingual series of short, lesser known, but highly significant works that show the traditional view of Dostoyevsky as a dour, intense, philosophical writer to be unnecessarily one-sided. 
Okudzhava Bilingual

Okudzhava Bilingual

Poems, songs and autobiographical sketches by Bulat Okudzhava, the king of the Russian bards. 
At the Circus (bilingual)

At the Circus (bilingual)

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.
The Samovar Murders

The Samovar Murders

The murder of a poet is always more than a murder. When a famous writer is brutally stabbed on the campus of Moscow’s Lumumba University, the son of a recently deposed African president confesses, and the case assumes political implications that no one wants any part of.
Fearful Majesty

Fearful Majesty

This acclaimed biography of one of Russia’s most important and tyrannical rulers is not only a rich, readable biography, it is also surprisingly timely, revealing how many of the issues Russia faces today have their roots in Ivan’s reign.
Murder and the Muse

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.
Tolstoy Bilingual

Tolstoy Bilingual

This compact, yet surprisingly broad look at the life and work of Tolstoy spans from one of his earliest stories to one of his last, looking at works that made him famous and others that made him notorious. 

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955