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Maria Baronova, chief editor of the Russian state-controlled international television network Russia Today, has resigned as she could no longer continue her work in good conscience after the invasion of Ukraine. She ponders on her faith in God after seeing the senseless bloodshed.

The editor-in-chief of Russia Today (RT) Maria Baronova has quit, in what appeared to be a protest against Putin’s aggression, alongside disgust at what she called the “brainwashing” of the Russian people.

Baronova also voiced concern about a potential Western nuclear response to Russia’s actions, and justifications for war in Ukraine.

Against Tyranny & Falsehood

In an interview with FOX News, the former editor of the state-run news platform said that her decision to resign was the result of an Instagram message from an RT colleague:

“If you are now ashamed of being Russian, don’t worry, you are not Russian.”

Baronova told FOX,

“I was really disturbed by that tone and level of support. If I chose to be with Russia, this does not mean that I should walk in a totalitarian system, be silent or, for example, rejoice that the regime, which I do not want for my country, is being exported somewhere else. And this regime will finally turn our life into one endless hell.”

The human rights advocate also pushed back against the “denazification,” “Ukraine is full of Nazis,” war fever pretence, saying,

“I try to talk with people on the streets… they even had arguments like: ‘We are fighting with Hitler,’ but look, I’ve got some news. Hitler died 80 years ago. It seems like they’re really brainwashed.”

Where is God?

The now-former RT editor also expressed her clear frustration with Putin’s aggression against Ukraine, writing on Instagram,

“Forgiveness Sunday has arrived.

I am generally a believer. Probably. Maybe. My life was not very pleasant most of the time, but what’s there, some completely fiercely unfair. But faith in God helped me live, helped me to try not to do nasty things, and also not to take revenge. Well, do good deeds. Although now even this phrase makes me cringe, as well as the Russian language in general.

And on February 24, I had a natural “There is no God.” “God is dead.”

I, just like that, deeply came to the conclusion that there is definitely no God after this. By logical reasoning. Because if He had, He would not have allowed this to happen to Ukraine. And with all of us.

And then, day after day, I asked all other believers and people who are much better versed in the history of religion, the question: “OK, if He is, then where is He now?”

And the day before yesterday, I was calm. They finally answered me. Well, of course there is a God. There is a God, God has not left us, and He is now with Ukraine. Because how else to explain that the most natural Satanists and servants of the Antichrist attacked Ukraine, killed people, shelled cities, but they can’t move anywhere for so many days already.

Here is God. He is. He is with Ukraine.

And He will never forgive.”

Infowar

With the exception of pro-free speech advocates — Gab CEO Andrew Torba, Rumble, and Starlink’s Elon Musk — Russia Today was banned by Western technocrats, and the European Union as part of “sanctions” on the Russian government.

Techcrunch explained the reasoning behind the ban came from claims that both Russia Today and Sputnik,

‘Are key disinformation tools in a pro-Kremlin toolbox that’s being used by Putin to wage a destabilizing “information war” against the West, one that’s escalated into a bloody incursion into Eastern Europe via Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.’

Other reasons included concerns over Putin’s ‘muzzling of independent media, and individual journalists who are seen as critical of the government.’ (Ironic considering the West’s own one-eyed COVID-era narrative censorship campaign)

Baronova’s resignation is a hit to both Kremlin and Western war fever propaganda. Her high-profile exit is further proof of strong opposition within Russia to Putin’s stated goals. The editor’s exit is also a reminder to those in the West about the importance of dialogue, measured engagement, and analysis.

Baronova’s “ninja move” follows the February 14 protest of over 100 Russian intellectuals who signed a Statement of Peace declaring,

‘Our position is extremely simple: Russia does not need a war with Ukraine and the West.
Nobody threatens us, nobody attacks us. A policy based on promoting the idea of such a
war is immoral, irresponsible and criminal, and cannot be carried out on behalf of the
peoples of Russia. Such a war can have neither legitimate nor moral goals.’

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Originally published at Gratia Veritas Lumen.