INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
A Russian editor who protested against Moscow's military action in Ukraine during a prime-time news broadcast on state TV was released
to pay a fine of 30,000 rubles ($280) after she barged onto the set of Russia's most-watched evening news broadcast holding a poster
reading "No War".The mother of two could have faced a maximum punishment of 10 days in detention for calling for illegal protests.The charge
was based not specifically on her interruption of the news broadcast, but on a video statement she released explaining the reasons for her
protest and urging Russians to take part in anti-war demonstrations.Ovsyannikova pleaded not guilty in court, saying: "I am still convinced
days literally without sleep."She said she had been questioned for more than 14 hours.One of Ovsyannikova's lawyers, Daniil Berman, told
AFP earlier Tuesday that she also risked criminal charges with a penalty of up to 15 years in jail under new laws against "fake news" on the
Russian military, introduced after President Vladimir Putin sent troops into Ukraine on February 24.In her video statement, Ovsyannikova
work for state television, saying: "I'm ashamed that I allowed lies to be spoken from the TV screen
I'm ashamed I allowed Russian people to be zombified."
