She has no job, lives off the money she made from selling her car and is in the middle of a bitter custody battle with her ex-husband who works for the Kremlin’s English-language Russia Today channel. It’s an attack from all sides. “My mom supports Putin, my son is brainwashed by his father, and I’m criticized by special military operation supporters who troll me,” he says. “Part of the opposition trolls me too. They call me a former propagandist. Moreover, even Ukrainians speak against me because they believe all these lies and conspiracy theories. Prisoners ‘forced to fight for Russia’ – Ukraine live news “They think the broadcast wasn’t live and that I’m working for the FSB.” The FSB theory that Marina is working for Russia’s secret services has a life of its own on Russian and Ukrainian social media. It has continued to protest Russia’s actions in Ukraine, but has so far escaped relatively unscathed, with only administrative fines. Despite standing outside the Kremlin two weeks ago with a banner calling Vladimir Putin a murderer, he has yet to face any backlash for it. Others have not gotten off so lightly. “It’s an absolute lie! How can I be an agent? I’m a normal Russian woman who expressed her position as a citizen and they’re trying to discredit me from all sides. Image: Marina Ovsyannikova is under attack from all sides “It’s good for the Kremlin to spread all kinds of conspiracy theories so people don’t believe me. That’s the main point – I’m a ‘fake’ and they shouldn’t believe me.” Ovsyannikova left for Germany shortly after her appearance on state television. She was offered a job at the German daily Die Welt, but that came to an end and she returned to Russia when her ex-husband sued for custody of their two children. “My daughter used to pick me up every day and ask me ‘when are you coming back, mum?’ I want to see you”. My husband, who works for the Kremlin, was turning them against me. I realized that I was losing touch with them and if I didn’t go back, I would just lose my children. Read more: Former Russian journalist Marina Ovsyannikova found guilty of ‘discrediting’ country’s armed forces Mothers and wives of missing Russian servicemen face relentless battle for answers “Besides, any voice speaking against the war from inside Russia is much louder than if someone protested from outside.” She says her decision to stay on state television for as long as she did was due to the need to take care of two children after a painful divorce. But she hoped more of her former colleagues would follow her lead and quit. “After seeing what happened to me, most people realized that they would become everyone’s enemy and that’s why they lie low, prefer not to stick their heads out or ask moral questions. “They just sit there quietly, working for the money.” They don’t like her either. Outside the courtroom, the first question he receives is a hostile one. “What’s it like to betray your country?” Ovsyannikova cuts a lonely figure. But it’s the cross he has to bear and he says he doesn’t regret what he did. “I hold on, because deep down I know I’m right. I have this strong core and I don’t give up.”
