Kildare Senator compares woman who interrupted Russian news broadcast to 'a modern day Countess Markievicz'

placeholder image — File Pic: Constance Markievicz

A Senator from Kildare yesterday described a woman who went viral for interrupting a Russian news broadcast as 'a modern day Countess Markievicz'.

Marina Ovsyannikova crashed a news story by state-controlled broadcaster Channel One, during its flagship 9pm 'Time' news show on Monday, March 14.

While news anchor Yekaterina Andreyeva was reading out a news story relating to Belarus, Ms Ovsyannikova suddenly burst into view, holding up a hand-written poster telling the Russian people not to believe propaganda coming from the Putin regime about the conflict in Ukraine.

Green Party Senator Vincent P Martin, who was wearing a badge of the Ukrainian flag during the meeting, made the comparison to the female Irish revolutionary while speaking in the Seanad yesterday.

He told those in attendance that Ireland 'differentiates between the decent people of Russia and Belarus, and that man who's in charge at the moment', referring to Russian's leader, President Vladimir Putin.

"I would just like to thank a modern-day Countess Markievicz, an editor of Channel One in Russia, Marina Ovsyannikova, who I pray and hope that we'll see her again alive, for what she did yesterday was inspiring," he added.

It was recently revealed that Ms Ovsyannikova was fined £210 (€249.88), or 30,000 roubles.

However, it is not clear if she will face other, more serious charges over the protest.

The video involving Ms Ovsyannikova can be viewed below.