Russian journalist protesting war resigns, rejects French offer of asylum

The Russian journalist, who protested the war in Ukraine during a news program broadcast live on her channel, revealed that she submitted her resignation Thursday, but rejected a French offer of asylum, describing herself as a "patriot".

On Monday evening, Marina Ovsianikova, a journalist for Russia's state-run Channel One, stormed the studio of the news program "Vremya" or "Time", the most watched in Russia, waving a banner reading "No to war."

"Stop the war. Don't believe the propaganda. They are lying to you here," Ovsyanikova wrote in Russian on the banner she carried during the prime-time news programme.

Ovsianikova was immediately arrested by Russian authorities and a Moscow court imposed a fine of 30,000 rubles (260 euros), but despite her release she still faces further prosecutions and faces a possible prison sentence for years under tough new laws.

Ovsianikova, from Moscow, told France 24 channel Thursday that she had "handed over all the documents" necessary for her resignation from Channel One, noting that it was a "legal procedure."

Ovsyanikova, who has two children, added that she "destroyed her family's life with this gesture", especially her son, who showed signs of trouble.

"But we need to put an end to this fratricidal war so that this madness does not turn into a nuclear war. I hope when my son grows up he will understand why I did this," she stressed.

Earlier this week, French President Emmanuel Macron offered the Russian journalist asylum or other forms of consular protection, saying he would raise her case with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

But Ovsiannikova told the German website Der Spiegel in an interview on Thursday that she would not accept his offer and would remain in Russia, adding, "I don't want to leave our country. I'm patriotic and my son is more than that. We don't want to leave in any way, we don't want to go anywhere." .

In the interview, she stated that she planned her protest alone, but believed that many of her colleagues sympathized with her.

"Most of the state television workers understand very well what is going on and they are well aware that they are doing something wrong," she said.

Ovsianikova told France 24 that some of her colleagues have resigned from the channel, but many of them are not able to do so even if they have the desire, in reference to the difficult economic situation.

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