LONDON: Russian TV journalist Marina Ovsyannikova, famous for staging an on-air protest against Russia’s war in Ukraine, has been put on Moscow’s wanted list after her ex-husband reported she had escaped from pre-trial house arrest.
Ovsyannikova, 44, was given two months’ house arrest in August, and faces up to 10 years in prison if found guilty of spreading fake news about Russia’s armed forces.
The case relates to a protest in July when she stood on a river embankment opposite the Kremlin and held up a poster calling President Vladimir Putin a murderer and his soldiers fascists.
The term of her house arrest was due to last until Oct. 9.
However, the state-run news outlet Russia Today reported on Saturday that she had fled along with her daughter, and that her whereabouts were unknown.
“Last night, my ex-wife left the place that the court assigned her for house arrest and, together with my 11-year-old daughter, fled in an unknown direction,” it quoted her ex-husband as saying.
On Monday, her name could be seen on the interior ministry’s online list of fugitives from justice, accompanied by a photo.
The circumstances of where she went or how she left are not clear.
Russia passed new laws against discrediting or distributing “deliberately false information” about the armed forces on March 4, eight days after invading Ukraine.
Ovsyannikova, who was born in Ukraine, came to international prominence in March by walking out in front of studio cameras during an evening news broadcast on the flagship Channel One with a placard that read “Stop the war” and “They’re lying to you.”
She has already been fined for two previous protests against the war.
Russian TV protester listed as wanted fugitive
https://arab.news/bb34b
Russian TV protester listed as wanted fugitive
- Journalist Marina Ovsyannikova is accused of spreading fake news about Russia’s armed forces
RT Arabic to launch new TV program marking 100 years of Russia-Saudi relations
- The program will broadcast twice a month starting next month
RIYADH: Russian news network, RT Arabic, is set to launch a new analytical program, “Studio Riyadh,” from the capital next month as part of celebrations marking 100 years of diplomatic relations between Moscow and Saudi Arabia.
The program will be hosted by veteran Saudi journalist Mohammed Al-Rashed and broadcast twice a month, starting February 2026. It will provide in-depth analysis of regional and international developments, featuring prominent political and media figures.
Maya Manna, head of RT Arabic, said that the launch aligned with commemorations of the historic ties between the two countries and reflected a growing commitment to media cooperation.
“Studio Riyadh” will join RT Arabic’s lineup of international programs broadcast from major capitals including Beirut, Cairo, Washington and Paris.
Each 26-minute episode will air on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. and feature a focused dialogue on a pressing current affairs topic.
Al-Rashed, a seasoned presenter and correspondent with more than 20 years of experience, is expected to bring deep regional insight and journalistic rigor to the program.
RT Arabic, which was the first Russian news channel to broadcast 24/7 in Arabic, has grown into one of the region’s leading platforms for political analysis. It currently reaches an estimated audience of 400 million viewers and operates a broad network of regional bureaus.
