Marina Ovsyannikova

Russian television journalist

Marina Ovsyannikova (Russian: Мари́на Овся́нникова) is a Russian TV producer who worked at the Channel One Russia TV channel. She worked for Russia's main evening newscast Vremya since the beginning of the 2000s. In 2022, she interrupted a state-controlled Russian TV news broadcast to protest against the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which made international news headlines. She was arrested, held without access to her lawyer and fined. On the afternoon after the protest, she was free to go.

Marina Ovsyannikova
Born19 June 1978 Edit this on Wikidata (age 45)
Odesa Edit this on Wikidata
Alma mater
  • Kuban State University of Physical Education, Sport and Tourism
  • Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration Edit this on Wikidata
OccupationJournalist, editor Edit this on Wikidata
Employer

Her husband Igor Ovsyannikov, is a director at Russia Today.[1]

She lives in France (as of 2023).[2]

Anti-war protest change

On 14 March 2022, during a live broadcast related to the Russian invasion of Ukraine on the evening news programme Vremya, which had millions of viewers, she showed up behind the news anchor, Ekaterina Andreeva, carrying a poster that said in a mix of Russian and English:[3][4]

No War
Остановите войну, не верьте пропаганде, здесь вам врут.
[Stop the war, don't believe the propaganda, here you are being lied to.]
Russians against war

Ovsyannikova shouted:

Остановите войну! Нет войны! [Stop the war! No war!]

Reactions change

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Ovsyannikova during one of his broadcasts.[5][6] French president Emmanuel Macron said that Ovsyannikova can get protection at the French embassy or through asylum. Russian government spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that her protest was "hooliganism."[7][8][9]

Sources change

  1. ""Все без исключения понимают, что врут"" ["Everyone, without exception, understands that they are lying"]. Meduza (in Russian). 15 March 2022.
  2. https://www.nettavisen.no/nyheter/vladimir-putin-har-ikke-nok-novitsjok-til-alle-sine-kritikere/s/5-95-1088169. Nettavisen.no. Retrieved 2023-05-12
  3. Ilyushina, Mary; Knowles, Hannah (15 March 2022). "Employee bursts onto live Russian state TV to denounce war: 'They are lying to you here'". The Washington Post. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  4. Troianovski, Anton (14 March 2022). "A protester storms a live broadcast on Russia's most-watched news show, yelling, 'Stop the war!'". The New York Times. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  5. Sauer, Pjotr (14 March 2022). "'They're lying to you': Russian TV employee interrupts news broadcast". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 15 March 2022. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
  6. Breivig, Espen Moe; Lyngstad, Håkon Kvam (15 March 2022). "Zelenskyj advarer Norge og Europa: − Vi er alle russiske mål" [Zelensky warns Norway and Europe: - We are all Russian targets]. Verdens Gang. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  7. "Marina Ovsyannikova: Russian journalist tells of 14-hour interrogation". BBC. March 15, 2022. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  8. "Macron offers shelter for Russian editor held over TV protest". France 24. 15 March 2022. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  9. "Kuppet TV-sending: Russisk journalist møtte i retten" [Couped TV broadcast: Russian journalist appeared in court]. Verdens Gang. Retrieved 15 March 2022.