Former Russian TV editor Marina Ovsyannikova, who shot to fame for protesting the war in Ukraine during a news broadcast, says she has escaped from house arrest.

“I consider myself completely innocent, and since our state refuses to comply with its own laws, I refuse to comply with the measure of restraint imposed on me as of 30 September 2022 and release myself from it,” Ms Ovsyannikova wrote on the Telegram messenger app without giving her whereabouts.

The 44-year-old’s house arrest for her public criticism of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine had been scheduled to last through next Sunday, part of a criminal case against Ms Ovsyannikova for the alleged spreading of false information about the Russian armed forces.

She faces five to 10 years in prison, according to recent Russia media reports.

Ms Ovsyannikova worked for Russian state television’s Channel One and had been considered loyal to the Kremlin until she held an anti-war banner up to the camera in a news broadcast in March that read: “Stop the war – they’re lying to you.”

She spent several months abroad afterwards working for German newspaper Die Welt.

In mid-July, she got into hot water again for protesting the war near the Kremlin.

Under Russian law, the country’s move against Ukraine can only be referred to as a special military operation.

Penalties for criticising the Russian army’s actions were made tougher in March.

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