Journalist Marina Ovsjannikova had to flee Russia after publicly protesting against the war. Ovsjannikova opened her escape story in Paris on Friday.
15:10•Updated 15:28
Russian reporter Marina Ovsyannikova opened up about his October escape from Russia at the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) conference in Paris on Friday.
Ovsyannikova, 44, came to international attention last March after protesting Russia’s war of aggression on a live broadcast of Russian news, holding a “stop the war” sign.
He was forced to flee Russia to France after being charged with spreading fake news in connection with yet another protest where he called the president Vladimir Putin as a murderer and Russian soldiers as fascists. Placed under house arrest, Ovsyannikova left the country just before the trial, which could have resulted in her receiving a ten-year prison sentence.
Ovsjannikova escaped with her 11-year-old daughter on Friday night after Russian security forces had finished their work week. He says that he estimated that on the weekend there would be less chance that someone would go after him right away.
Ovsjannikova escaped from Russia with the help of the RSF under the code name “Evelyne”.
– We had two days to escape from Russia. Thank God it was successful, Ovsjannikova says.
Ovsjannikova does not say her exact escape route.
– All I can say is that we changed cars seven times. Of course, just before the border there were problems and the car got stuck in the mud.
In the end, Ovsjannikova and her companions fled across the field on foot in complete darkness. He said the group had to use the stars to navigate when they couldn’t connect to the cell phone network.
– We wandered for several hours before we found the way. Then we hid from passing cars and tractors.
Still fearing for his life
Ovsjannikova says that she would have liked to stay in her home country until the last moments.
– Russia is still my home country, even if war criminals are in power. However, I had no choice, I had to choose either prison or exile, says Ovsjannikova.
The journalist’s lawyers urged Ovsyannikova to save herself and her daughter. The lawyers said that this would not have survived in prison.
According to RSF, an apartment in the French countryside has been arranged for Ovsjannikova. However, the journalist says that he still fears for his life.
– My friends call me and joke that I would rather choose Novichok, polonium or a car accident. Of course I’m in on the joke. But I also try to follow some safety measures, says Ovsjannikova.
Ovsjannikova’s press conference was reported by, among others, Reuters, the British newspaper Guardian (you will switch to another service) and British Broadcasting Corporation BBC (switch to another service).
Source: Reuters
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