E-Paper
Activist who interrupted live Russian TV show catches Ukraine's Zelenskyy's attention. This is what he has to say
The protest was a risky moment for the news channel in a country where it has become illegal to contradict the government's narrative of the war.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy released a video message on Tuesday thanking Russians who haven't hesitated to condemn the ongoing invasion of his country by Moscow. Zelenskyy – who has earned appreciation globally for leading the fight against Moscow – also thanked the anti-war activist who interrupted a Russian anchor by barging into the studio and interrupting the news by holding a poster protesting the war in Ukraine.
“I am grateful to those Russians who do not stop trying to convey the truth, to those who fight disinformation and tell the truth, real facts to their friends and loved ones. And personally to the woman who entered the studio of Channel One with a poster against the war,” he said in a recording of nearly 30 seconds.
The protest was a risky moment for the news channel in a country where it has become illegal to contradict the government's narrative of the war.
MUST READ: Russian anti-war protester who disrupted live show ‘missing’
An anchor was speaking during the newscast when a woman appeared on camera behind her holding a sign with “no war” scrawled in English across the top, with a message in Russian below calling on people not to believe Russian propaganda. Within seconds, the news program cut away to another scene.
Russia's state TV regularly amplifies the government line that says troops entered Ukraine to save people from “neo-Nazis” and to defend Russians from a country that was preparing to attack.
Russian President Vladimir Putin recently signed into law a measure that criminalizes the spread of information that is considered by the Kremlin to be “fake” news. Media outlets and individuals who publish information that deviates from Putin's narrative are being targeted. Russia has also blocked social media sites like Twitter and Facebook.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine entered the 20th day on Tuesday. The fourth round of talks will commence today between the representatives of both countries as no breakthrough was achieved in the previous rounds.
(With agency inputs)
