She walked onto the set carrying a sign reading: “Stop the War” during Monday night’s telecast. Don’t believe propaganda. You are being deceived.”
Russian authorities detained Ovsyannikova. She claimed that she was interrogated for 14 hours without legal representation. Ovsyannikova was finally fined $280 and released. Ovsyannikova stood by her actions, but she told Reuters Wednesday that she is now “extremely worried” about her safety.
She said, “I wasn’t sure if I could go through it right up until the last minute.” “… There are many layers of security and it is difficult to get in the studio. A member of law enforcement is right in front of the studio to ensure that such incidents don’t occur.”
Ovsyannikova said to Reuters that the war in Ukraine was “the final point of no returns for me.” Ovsyannikova said that seeing the unfolding events in neighboring countries, where millions have fled and at most 600 civilians have been murdered, was a “trigger” moment for her as a Channel One editor/producer.
Ovsyannikova was raised in Chechnya as a child. This small Muslim republic is located in south Russia and sought independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.
According to The New York Times, Russian troops invaded the region in December 1994. This triggered the First Chechen War. It was a two-year conflict that saw the death of thousands. After a few years, peace was restored and a second conflict broke out in 1999 when Vladimir Putin was elected Russia’s leader.
“Very vivid memories from my childhood came back. I understood. I felt what these poor people were going through. It’s beyond the pale,” Ovsyannikova stated Wednesday. It was impossible for me not to speak up… and ordinary Russian women like me must do something about it. Everybody in Russia.
Ovsyannikova stated that the world must “stop this war” in order to resolve modern problems through diplomacy.
“We live in 21st century. She said that it was just horrible and senseless to start war.
She said that the conflict in Ukraine has created a war of disinformation which led to her protesting Putin’s invasion live on TV. She stated that she wanted to show the world that Russians oppose the war and rally more fellow Russians to use non-Russian media to get information.
She said that even her mother was “totally zombified” by state propaganda.
“I am certain that those who support the war don’t understand the whole picture. You need to know what’s happening in the world by reading Russian media, Western media and Ukrainian media. She said that you need to read all sources. “And truth, as always will be found somewhere between the two.”
