Ovsyannikova will continue to report from Russia and Ukraine.
A Russian journalist who was arrested for protesting the war in Ukraine has now been hired by a German newspaper.
Die Welt (The World), one of Germany’s largest newspapers, announced the hiring of Marina Ovsyannikova on Monday (11 April).
Ovsyannikova became famous following a stunt on Channel 1, Russia’s largest state broadcaster.
During a live recording, Ovsyannikova ran on screen holding a placard that read “Stop the war / Don’t believe propaganda / They’re lying to you”.
She chanted “stop the war” until the feed was cut.
A woman burst onto Russia’s main live evening newscast today with a sign that says:
“Stop the war
Don’t believe propaganda
They’re lying to you”And chanting: “Stop the war! No to war!”pic.twitter.com/pKVKZFVEM3
— max seddon (@maxseddon) March 14, 2022
Ovsyannikova was arrested, and ordered to pay a fine of 30,000 rubles (€338.20), although there are fears she could be further penalised.
“At a crucial moment, Marina Ovsyannikova had the courage to confront Russian viewers with an unembellished view of reality, said Ulf Poschardt, editor-in-chief of WELT Group.
“In doing so, she defended the most important journalistic ethics – despite the threat of state repression.
“I am excited to be working with her.”
Ovsyannikova said that she chose to join the newspaper as “WELT stands for what is being so vehemently defended by the courageous people of Ukraine on the ground right now: freedom.
“I see it as my duty as a journalist to defend that freedom.
“And I am delighted to be able to do this now for WELT.”
Ovsyannikova’s first article is now live on Die Welt, titled “The Russians Are Afraid“.
A clip of an Irish MEP condemning sanctions against Russia was recently shown on Ovsyannikova’s former employer.
Elena Suponina, a panelist on Channel 1 described Clare Daly’s speech as evidence that there were people in Europe who saw the war as the US trying to weaken the European economy.
The same clip was introduced on Russia-1, the second largest channel in the country, describing Daly as the “voice of reason”.
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