One of the news editors of Russia's Perviy (Channel One), Maria Ovsyannikova, interrupted the live air of the main news program Vremya with a poster calling for an end to the war. She explained her act with shame that she was silent for so long when the Russians were lied to and "zombified."

“No war. Stop the war. Don’t believe the propaganda. They’re lying to you. Russians against war,” the banner said.

The news anchor continued to read louder from the script in an attempt to drown out the protest, but Ovsyannikova’s slogans could be seen and heard for several seconds before a pre-recorded segment cut the live signal from the studio.

Ovsyannikova recorded a video message explaining her act ahead of the interruption of the live broadcast. She noted that her father is Ukrainian, and her mother is Russian, and that they have never been at enmity. And she said that what is happening now in Ukraine is a crime, and Russia is an aggressor country.

“Regrettably, in recent years I have been working on Perviy, doing Kremlin propaganda. I am very ashamed of this,” she said.

She urged people to join protests and not be afraid, because the leaders of the country will not be able to imprison them all.

Ovsyannikova was detained and sent to the police station. She could face legal consequences for encouraging “civil unrest” and publicly discrediting the use of Russia’s armed forces. The maximum punishment recently approved by the Russian Duma could be 15 years in prison.

After the incident, the news anchor posted an online video suggesting to her followers how the practice of yoga helps her to remain “like a rock” in such situations.