The text illustrates a common arrangement among employees of the Kremlin's propaganda machine, who have historically prioritized job security and creative challenges over ideological alignment with their workplace. Despite his resignation as the art director for Channel 1 following Putin's invasion of Ukraine, Likin insisted that he was not a political figure, but recognized that he was now involved in a harmful agenda. Likin described Russian television as catering to those who are uninformed or unwilling to seek alternative sources of information. The invasion of Ukraine has prompted some long-time government employees in Russia to sever their ties with the Kremlin, indicating a struggle to maintain unity among society during the war. The invasion of Ukraine has led to thousands of arrests and tens of thousands of people fleeing the country. Anatoly Chubais, Putin's climate envoy, recently became the first senior government official to resign since the invasion began on Feb 24. Several high-profile resignations have also occurred at Russia's state television channels, which are crucial for Putin's control over domestic politics. Marina Ovsyannikova made a bold protest by interrupting a live news broadcast with an anti-war poster, while others, like Likin, have resigned quietly, revealing the discontent within Putin's system. The power of television in shaping Russians' views on the war is evident, as many are feeling clinically depressed. Many intelligent individuals are feeling a sense of guilt, with no way out other than simply asking for forgiveness, which is not sufficient. Despite the diminishing influence of Russian national television networks due to the popularity of YouTube and social media, they remain the primary source of news for the public. Last year, about two-thirds of Russians relied on state television for news, a decrease from 90% in 2014, according to surveys conducted by the Levada Center. State television channels have portrayed the conflict in a way that contrasts with Western views, depicting Russians as heroes bringing liberation to Ukrainian lands seized by neo-Nazis funded by the West. Images of deceased civilians and destroyed homes are being incorrectly labeled as either fake or the result of Ukrainians bombing their own city. According to a Channel 1 reporter in Mariupol, some locals believe that the Ukrainian military is purposefully targeting residential areas, while others claim that nationalists were instructed to cause as much destruction as possible before retreating. Polls suggest that many Russians are accepting this narrative, which aligns with the anti-Western sentiment that Russian television has been promoting for years. Despite this, most state television journalists have continued to amplify the message of Russia fighting for its survival. Anchor Liliya Gildeyeva, who left NTV, admitted that she had compromised her principles before realizing the extent of her actions once the war began. She stated that when you start to give in to yourself slowly, you may not realize how far you have fallen. The shock of the war has led to a significant number of Russians leaving the country in recent weeks, with many flying to destinations such as Turkey and Armenia. While some were journalists and activists escaping potential arrest, others were young professionals who no longer saw a future for themselves in Russia. Even some members of Russia's elite have decided to leave, with the most notable departure being Chubais, the Kremlin's climate envoy, who resigned over the war in Ukraine and left the country. The Kremlin confirmed that Chubais had resigned. He was considered one of the few officials in Putin's government with liberal views, and his key role in economic reforms in Moscow during the 1990s made him unpopular among many Russians. It is uncertain if the discontent among some of the elite could have any impact on Putin's government stability. Likin, a former art director at Channel 1, believed that individuals like him who were willing to step down based on their principles were a small minority in Russia. Agalakova, a former correspondent at Channel 1, noted that many of her former colleagues who stayed did not work for a specific idea. People have obligations such as family, loans, and the need to survive. Those who leave their jobs at state television, especially if they speak out, face an uncertain future. Agalakova, who used to work as a correspondent in Paris, mentioned that some of her friends stopped talking to her after she resigned. Likin, on the other hand, plans to stay in Russia and continue working as an architect. He mentioned that he might consider going back to television if its agenda changes. Government polls suggest that most Russians support Putin's invasion, but analysts warn that people may not be truthful during times of war. Agalakova now realizes that years of propaganda on Russian television have influenced public opinion and justified Kremlin's current policies. Agalakova expressed that when the idea of Nazism is mentioned in relation to Ukraine, people react immediately, in response to the false claims made by the Kremlin about Russia fighting Nazis in Ukraine. She described this as a deceitful and shameful tactic. Due to the widespread propaganda, Russians who are skeptical of television have fewer reliable sources of news. The Echo of Moscow radio station and TV Rain independent television channel have been shut down, and access to Facebook and Instagram has been blocked by the government. Furthermore, journalist Alexander Nevzorov is facing a criminal investigation for sharing information about the Russian bombing of Mariupol on his Instagram page. The most recent attempt to instill fear in critics of the war involves a new law that threatens up to 15 years in prison for going against the official narrative of the conflict in Ukraine, as defined by the Kremlin. According to Denis Volkov of the Levada polling center, the true test of Russian public opinion will be seen as economic difficulties caused by Western sanctions begin to impact society. Despite this, Volkov believes that the Kremlin's portrayal of the situation, which depicts the West as trying to undermine Russia through Ukraine and Russia as defending its people abroad, is deeply ingrained in the minds of television viewers and is unlikely to change soon. Many Russians tend to accept news that aligns with the television narrative and reject anything that doesn't, regardless of its truthfulness.