Marina Ovsianikova opposed the war live

Russian TV presenter lives in fear after protesting war in Ukraine

Russian TV presenter Marina Ovsianikova.

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Russian TV journalist Marina Ovsianikova protested live against Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine at the height of Channel One's official evening news broadcast.

This presenter became one of the Russian media professionals who attracted the most attention from viewers in Russia and abroad.

In an interview, she explained how that moment changed her life and her fears forever.

Here are excerpts from the interview:

■ What is your status now?

■■ I'm hiding with my friends, and I'm feeling a lot of stress, my life has changed forever, and I'm just beginning to realize the consequences of it.

I can't go back to my old life, I worry about my son, 17, and my daughter, 11, and I take sedatives.

They are not with me, but they are safe in Moscow.

We will remain in Russia and we will continue to live here.

■ French President Emmanuel Macron has offered you asylum.

Are you thinking of leaving?

■■ No, I don't want to leave my country, my son is old.

We certainly do not want to migrate anywhere else.

■ What does your family think of your protest against Russia's war in Ukraine?

■■ It was a great tragedy for them.

My mother is still in shock, and she is completely collapsed, and my son is deeply affected, as he is going through a difficult stage in his life, and he accused me of ruining their lives.

■ How do you deal with all that?

■■ We still talk to each other, but it is difficult for me psychologically, as I find myself facing several fronts.

My family does not support me, official public opinion is against me, and there is a growing confrontation in society and a split between pro-war and anti-war.

■ Putin tightened the laws, and his operation in Ukraine should now be described as a “special military operation.”

Do you fear the consequences?

■■ I'm scared of course, very scared, I'm a human being, and anything could happen to me - a car accident - anything to get rid of me, and I know it.

But this is my position as a citizen: What we are dealing with here is war, I have already crossed the point of no return, and I can now speak frankly and openly about this.

■ When did you make this decision?

It looks like your protest has been planned for a while.

■■ We work in the channel throughout the week alternately.

I was on vacation until that day, which fell on a Sunday, bought papers and pens, made a protest poster in my kitchen and recorded the video I posted on Facebook after the event.

I didn't tell anyone in my family or any of my friends or colleagues about my plan, so that nothing could go wrong.

■ What happened in the channel on Monday?

■■ I went to work as usual, I was so scared, and I thought it would be all in vain if no one watched me.

Then I quickly ran into the studio, past the policeman who always works with us and watches us.

When I opened the poster and showed it to the presenter, he could no longer avoid it.

Then I quickly returned to my office.

Then my superiors came and asked me all, “Is that person who did this you?” No one wanted to believe what had happened.

After that, I entered into a controversy with them, and the police officers attended.

■ What is the nature of that controversy?

■■ The Vice President of News wanted me to resign.

I told him I would submit my resignation by e-mail today.

Police officers took my mobile phone.

The deputy head of the Department of Combating Extremism gave an interview to me.

The officials couldn't believe I did it on my own, they kept asking me if I had contact with the West and who influenced me.

But they couldn't believe that I was just expressing my opinion as a citizen.

They said I could call a lawyer, but they wouldn't let me, and they wouldn't let me call my family for more than 18 hours.

They took me to court, and I didn't have a lawyer, until someone helped me.

■ There is a law against supposed fake news that anyone who spreads false information about the Russian armed forces faces heavy fines and, in the worst case, several years in prison.

The investigative commission, which reports directly to Putin, has opened an investigation into you.

What punishment do you expect?

■■ No criminal proceedings have yet been initiated against me - they are reviewing whether there are grounds for it.

Of course, I heard that high-ranking representatives of the leadership demanded the initiation of criminal proceedings against me.

Currently, I have been fined 30,000 rubles (equivalent to about 265 euros).

If I had no children to take care of, I would certainly have received 15 days of detention, and I would sit in a cell like many others.

But I don't know how this will develop.

• “I'm scared of course, very scared, I'm a human being, and anything - a car accident - anything could happen to me to get rid of me, and I know that."

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