​Russian journalist Marina Ovsyanikova, who rose to prominence after protesting Russia’s war in Ukraine live on air, says her son is calling her a “traitor” for her actions, adding that she may never be able to return to Russia, The Guardian.

Marina Ovsyanikova became known to the whole world in March 2022, when during a live broadcast of the First Channel news, she showed a poster in front of video cameras in the studio, on which were written “Stop the war” and “You are lying.” She was arrested and fined for this gesture, after which she left the country to work for Die Welt.

She returned to Russia in July to retain custody of her minor children, which she disputes with her ex-husband. She continued to criticize the Kremlin before being detained and charged with “spreading false information” about the military. So, in August, she was sentenced to two months of house arrest after a protest in July, when she stood on the river embankment opposite the Kremlin and displayed a poster that said President Vladimir Putin was a criminal and his soldiers were fascists. She faces up to ten years in prison if found guilty of spreading fake news about Russia’s armed forces.

“My son still calls me a traitor”

The journalist told the BBC that shortly after she left Russia, her son told her that the decision to protest had ruined the family’s life.

• “My son still tells me that I am a traitor, that I betrayed the family, that I betrayed the country.
• I can say that the situation is the same for millions of families – the war destroys many families.
• And this is a real disaster, because Putin destroyed the Russians not only physically by sending them to war, but also psychologically.
• Russia is now in a deep depression, there is apathy everywhere, and millions of people simply do not know what the future holds,” said the BBC journalist.

Asked if she thought it would ever be safe to return to Russia, she said she couldn’t go back now but “sees her future” with Russia: “My son is there, my family is there, my mother is there.” . and they don’t want to leave the country. I am not indifferent to the future of this country, and I will fight for its future even outside of Russia.”