Russian journalist who protested Ukraine war on state TV news broadcast appears in court

The TV editor who staged a protest during a live news broadcast on Russia’s main state TV channel has been issued a fine as the Kremlin decried her actions as “hooliganism”.

Marina Ovsyannikova, who had been reported missing by her lawyers after she staged an anti-war protest during Channel One’s news bulletin on Monday, resurfaced in Ostankinsky regional court with human rights lawyer Anton Gashinsky.

She was charged with organising an unauthorised protest and served with a fine of 30,000 roubles, currently worth roughly £215, in connection with a video she posted to social media.

The fine did not address the TV protest itself, and state investigators were still looking on Tuesday at whether she could also be punished under a sweeping new censorship law that carries jail terms of up to 15 years for criticism of the armed forces, the state-controlled Tass news agency reported.

During her one-woman protest on Monday, the Channel One employee stood behind news anchor Ekaterina Andreeva holding a sign bearing the message: “NO WAR. Stop the war. Don’t believe the propaganda. They are lying to you here.”

“As far as this woman is concerned, this is hooliganism,” said Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, who went on to laud the state channel as a pillar of objective and timely news.

“The channel and those who are supposed to will get to the bottom of this,” he said.

But Ms Ovsyannikova’s bravery was praised by campaigners around the world.

French leader Emmanuel Macron said he would apply diplomatic pressure to ensure her safety.

He said: “We will launch diplomatic efforts aiming to offer (her) protection, either at the embassy but also protection through asylum.

“I will have the chance at my next talks with President Putin to propose this solution in a very direct and concrete manner.”

UN human rights spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani also praised “this very courageous journalist”.

“We would urge the authorities to ensure that she does not face any reprisals for exercising her right to freedom of expression,” she told a news briefing in Geneva.

In a video recorded before the protest shared on social media, Ms Ovsyannikova said: “What is happening in Ukraine is a crime. And Russia is the aggressor here. And responsibility for this aggression rests on the conscience of a single man: Vladimir Putin.

“My father is Ukrainian. My mother is Russian. And they’ve never been enemies.”

She added: “They can’t put us all in prison.”