News editor Marina Ovsyannikova's denouncing of the war in Ukraine on live TV has highlighted a steady stream of resignations from Russia's state-run media.
Ovsyannikova interrupted the main news programme on Russia's state TV Channel One on Monday, holding up a sign behind the studio presenter with slogans denouncing the war in Ukraine.
The sign, in English and Russian, reads: "NO WAR. Stop the war. Don't believe propaganda. They are lying to you here."
Channel One said it was undertaking an internal review into the incident, Tass news agency reported.
Ovsyannikova, an editor at Channel One, released a pre-recorded video on social media expressing her shame at working for the company and spreading "Kremlin propaganda".
"Regrettably, for a number of years, I worked on Channel One and worked on Kremlin propaganda, I am very ashamed of this right now. Ashamed that I was allowed to tell lies from the television screen. Ashamed that I allowed the zombification of Russian people. We were silent in 2014 when this was just beginning. We did not go out to protest when the Kremlin poisoned [opposition leader Alexander] Navalny," she said, according to The Guardian.
"We are just silently watching this anti-human regime. And now the whole world has turned away from us and the next 10 generations won't be able to clean themselves from the shame of this fratricidal war."
Her protest follows a steady but quiet stream of resignations from journalists at Russian media organisations.
According to the BBC, just hours after Ovsyannikova's act, resignation details emerged of three more journalists who had quit. It was revealed Channel One employee Zhanna Agalakova quit as Europe Correspondent while journalists Lilia Gildeyeva and Vadim Glusker quit rival station NTV.
RT, formally known as Russia Today, has also seen a string of high profile resignations with former chief editor Maria Baronova, former London correspondent Shadia Edwards-Dashti and Moscow-based journalist Jonny Tickle all resigning after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
French RT presenter Frédéric Taddeï also resigned saying it was because France was "in open conflict" with Russia.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine
Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, confirming months of speculation of an imminent invasion of land Russian President Vladimir Putin considers to be sliced off Russia following the Soviet Union's collapse in the early 1990s.
It came after Putin recognised two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent entities. The Russian leader claims to be defending Russian-speaking communities through the "demilitarisation and de-Nazification" of Ukraine.
The Kremlin calls it a "special military operation", not an invasion.
Ardern told Newshub Nation she was "in absolute despair" after hearing about the invasion, which has so far claimed the lives of at least 9000 people while the number of refugees fleeing Ukraine has passed 1.5 million.
Because Ukraine is not a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) - an intergovernmental military alliance between 28 European countries and the United States and Canada - it must fight the battle alone.
But the US, the EU, Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and other nations have responded with sanctions aimed at crippling the Kremlin.
Some countries have sent weapons and other supplies to Ukraine. Germany had a longstanding practice of blocking lethal weapons from being sent to conflict zones, but decided to send 1000 anti-tank weapons and 500 Stinger anti-aircraft defence systems to aid Ukraine.
New Zealand was one of the first countries to send aid to Ukraine - an initial $2 million to help deliver essential humanitarian assistance, with a focus on supporting health facilities and meeting basic needs such as provision of food and hygiene items.
On March 3, New Zealand joined more than 30 states in referring the atrocities that have occurred in Ukraine to the International Criminal Court which will enable an investigation into war crimes that may have occurred in Ukraine.
But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is far from satisfied. He lashed out at NATO over the weekend after his request for a no-fly zone was rejected by allies over fears it could bring the US and Europe into direct conflict with Russia.
"Any movement in this direction will be considered by us as participation in an armed conflict by that country," Putin said on Saturday.
He added that imposing a no-fly zone would have "colossal and catastrophic consequences not only for Europe but also the whole world".
Russia is becoming increasingly cut off with its banks blocked from SWIFT, the world's main banking messaging service. The country's stocks and currency tanked to record lows, while the Russian central bank more than doubled interest rates to 20 percent.
Russian oligarchs - the rich and powerful few who influence Putin or benefit from his leadership - have had their assets frozen in several countries, even the traditionally neutral Switzerland.
The US and European partners are now exploring banning Russian oil imports, but US Secretary of State Blinken has stressed the importance of maintaining steady oil supplies globally.
Russia has shut its airspace off to 36 countries in retaliation to sanctions. It came after Europe, Canada and the UK shut their airspace for Russian airlines.
"These sanctions that are being imposed are akin to a declaration of war but thank God it has not come to that," Putin said on Saturday.
The Kremlin has now banned Facebook, Twitter and major foreign news outlets as part of a new law to punish anyone spreading "false information" about its Ukraine invasion with up to 15 years in prison.
The crackdown comes as the Kremlin scrambles to contain discontent over the war and control the narrative. Police have detained more than 4600 people at Russia-wide protests against the invasion.
