Russian President Putin’s stranglehold on Russia’s media has allowed him to create a dominant narrative in his country. He has, however, faced criticism since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Marina Ovsyannikova, the Russian TV editor who interrupted a news broadcast to protest the Ukraine war, said she felt compelled to speak out after witnessing Channel One spread “lies” about the invasion. “After a week of coverage of this situation, the atmosphere on the channel was so unpleasant that I realised I couldn’t go back there,” she told ABC this week.
“I could see what was really going on in Ukraine.” And what we showed on our shows was very different from what was happening in real life.”
She was fined 30,000 roubles (£218) for her protest, and Putin’s regime has tightened its grip on the media and protest even more since the invasion began.
Russian media has a history of covering other countries, including the United Kingdom, in unusual ways.
As relations between Moscow and London deteriorated in the aftermath of the Salisbury attack, Russian media insinuated that the Queen is a heavy drinker in April 2018.
“I could see what was really going on in Ukraine.” And what we showed on our shows was very different from what was happening in real life.”
She was fined 30,000 roubles (£218) for her protest, and Putin’s regime has tightened its grip on the media and protest even more since the invasion began.
Russian media has a history of covering other countries, including the United Kingdom, in unusual ways.
As relations between Moscow and London deteriorated in the aftermath of the Salisbury attack, Russian media insinuated that the Queen is a heavy drinker in April 2018.
According to Aleksey Pushkov, a Russian politician, the Queen treats drinking as a “ceremony.”
He had this to say about the Queen: “She drinks a gin cocktail and a wine cocktail before dinner, both with ice and lemon.
“She follows her meal with a glass of wine and a chocolate bar. She also enjoys a dry Martini.
“At the end of the day, she enjoys a glass of chilled Champagne.”
In addition, the Russian politician claimed that the monarch was a “frequent brandy drinker.”
He also spoke to a ‘wine expert’ about then-Prime Minister Theresa May while appearing in Russian media.
They speculated that Mrs May enjoys a Cognac based on the way she cupped her glass.
“You will get drunk faster, and it is just not pleasant,” the ‘expert’ added.
“It means May became accustomed to a different type of glass — for Cognac.”
Another presenter, Dimitry Kiselev, discussed Mrs May’s drinking technique on his show ‘News of the Week’ at the time.
“Then, Madam Prime Minister, you urgently needed a drink,” he said. Red [wine] would suffice.
“
She gulped it down, oblivious to how she held the glass.
“The glass is held not by the stem, as is customary in polite society, but like any other glass.”
He also made a derogatory remark about Mrs. May’s appearance, saying, “And here is the head of the British Government, Theresa May.”
