One of the big news stories yesterday regarding Russia/Ukraine was the one featuring the Russian editor of a news channel interrupting a live news broadcast to hold up an anti war sign informing the people of the country what was really going on with Ukraine. An act of immense bravery, everyone would agree.

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Many of us feared for her safety after her actions and it seems like our concerns have been realised as Channel One editor Marina Ovsyannikova has now been reported as missing after being arrested. Here’s what lawyer Pavel Chikov – head of the Agora human rights group who is also representing Ovsyannikova – said about the situation:

Marina’s whereabouts have not been established yet.

She has been detained for more than 12 hours.

She was held in the duty room at the channel’s Ostankino television centre for three hours before being taken to Moscow police station, but we do not know where she is now and were not allowed to see her.

I expect her to be held for 15 days on an administrative charge, and then face arrest on a criminal accusation with the likely possibility of a more serious custodial sentence, but it’s concerning that her lawyers have not been able to talk to her and we don’t know her exact whereabouts.

I mean yeah, he’s right is pretty concerning, but I’m not really sure what they’re expecting over in Russia at the moment because any kind of comment on the invasion of Ukraine is being met with similar actions. No doubt that Ovsyannikova probably knew the consequences of her actions and decided it was worth it to let the country know what was really going on. Let’s hope that nothing too horrendous happens to her but unfortunately you have got to be fearful given the current regime over there. Thoughts and prayers.

In case you’re wondering what her sign says in Russian, here’s the translation: ‘Don’t believe the propaganda. They’re lying to you here. No War… Russians against the war.’ Poignant.

For more of the same, check out how long it took this Russian woman to get arrested for holding up a blank sign. Ridiculous.