Ex-Russian state TV journalist sentenced in absentia over Ukraine war criticism

Former Russian state TV journalist Marina Ovsyannikova protested against the invasion (AP)

A Moscow court has handed a former state TV journalist an eight-and-a-half year prison term in absentia for protesting against Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Marina Ovsyannikova’s sentence is the latest incident in a months-long crackdown against dissent that has intensified since Moscow’s invasion began 20 months ago.