The staff of TV Rain, an independent news channel in Russia went off air on Thursday with a symbolic protest against the Ukraine war.
During their last broadcast, the anchors and staff walked off from the studio together saying ‘no war’.
An old footage from a performance of Tchaikovsky’s ballet Swan Lake was displayed on the screen. The display of Swan Lake footage is a highly-evocative gesture to recall the coup of August 1991 when Tv stations were unable to actually report the news. So most stations simply played footage of the ballet for three days nonstop.
The Russian authorities have banned TV Rain for their protest against the ongoing Ukraine war.
Russia has shut down its last independent media outlet, TV Rain.
TV Rain staffers escaped from the studio after finding out special forces were going to storm the building.
This was their last broadcast. pic.twitter.com/JaBMYSCKqa
— Mythinformed MKE (@MythinformedMKE) March 3, 2022