Channel One employee Marina Ovsianikova was arrested after protesting against Russian state television, according to the group

“Unfortunately, I have been working on Channel One for recent years, working on Kremlin propaganda,” said Ovsyannikova. “And now I am very ashamed. I am ashamed that I allowed lies to be told on television. I am ashamed that I left the Russian people in a state of zombies.”

She ended with a call to action, referring to the heavy price of dissent in Russia: “We can only stop this madness. Take to the streets. Do not be afraid. They cannot imprison us all.”

The protest came as Russia deepened its crackdown on government critics. blocking sources For independent information about the fighting in Ukraine and the criminalization of publishing anything he sees “fake news” about the army. Thousands of people protesting the war have been arrested in Russia, according to OVD-Info, which Says The invasion and its aftermath irreversibly changed the life of Russian civil society.

The recording of the intermittent live broadcast on Monday evening was not available on Channel One’s website, which it says was removed “at the request of the copyright holder”. All previous episodes from last week are readily available. Channel One said it was “looking into the incident with an outsider appearing in the shot during a live broadcast,” according to state news agency TASS.

Quoting an unnamed person in law enforcement, TASS also said The woman is being held and can be held liable under Russia’s ban on “discrediting” its armed forces. The unnamed person said that Ovsyannikova is an editor at Channel One, according to TASS. Ovsyannikova’s Instagram account He also identifies her as an employee of Channel One.

The protester had jumped into the frame when longtime Channel One anchor Ekaterina Andreeva read an article about Russian efforts to mitigate the impact of sanctions on its actions in Ukraine.

The protester stood behind Andreeva, holding up a poster with a mixture of English and Russian spelling a forbidden message: “No to war. Stop the war. Don’t believe the propaganda, they are lying to you here.” The demonstrator remained on the screen for several seconds before apparently interrupting the program.

Ovsyannikova said in her video message, which was recorded earlier, that her father is Ukrainian and her mother is Russian. “They were never enemies,” she said, referring to her necklace, which consists of the colors of the Russian and Ukrainian flags.

“We were silent in 2014 when it all started,” she said, referring to the year Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine. She added that silence continued with Kremlin critic and opposition activist Alexei Navalny Poisoning. “We have silently watched this anti-human regime,” she said, “and now the world has turned its back on us.”

Russia has long faced criticism for suppressing dissent, and its invasion of Ukraine last month ushered in a new era of global condemnation, as the West imposed sanctions and major corporations. Stop their Russian business.

Criticizing the war in Ukraine, Ovsyannikova said that responsibility “falls only on one person … [Russian President] Russian President Vladimir Putin.”

Soon, thousands of people flooded the Ovsyannikova district Facebook page With comments, many of them expressed their thanks and described it as courage. The Facebook page also identifies her as a Muscovite with experience in “TV newscasts”.

“Thank you for the truth!” One person wrote in Ukrainian.

“You are a hero to me! Thank you!” Another said.

In Russian, someone greeted her with “courage and honesty.”

This person wrote: “If at least one in ten resembled you a little, Russia would be a prosperous democracy.” “Thank you for your work. Peace be upon us all!”

Meanwhile, Russian TV presenter Vladimir Solovyov hailed Andreeva – the spotty host of Channel One – as a hero. Andreeva posted a video of herself doing yoga and chanting the mantra “Stand like a stone,” saying that her practice made her all day.

Paul Son contributed to this report.