The text illustrates the type of compromise that has been made by some employees of the Kremlin's propaganda machine over the years, individuals who valued the stability of their job and the creative challenges it presented, even if they did not agree with the organization's goals. Recently, after President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, Likin, who had been the art director for Channel 1, a major player in the Kremlin's propaganda network, resigned. He emphasized that he was not a political figure, but felt that the invasion aligned him with a destructive agenda. Likin expressed his belief that Russian television caters to those who are not motivated to seek out alternative sources of information, such as people lacking education or critical thinking skills. The invasion of Ukraine has prompted some former Russian government employees to sever ties with the regime, indicating a struggle within the Kremlin to maintain unity amidst the conflict. Thousands of people have been arrested protesting against the invasion of Ukraine, with tens of thousands fleeing the country. On Wednesday, Anatoly Chubais, Putin's climate envoy, became the first senior government official to resign since the invasion on Feb 24. There have also been four high-profile resignations at Russia's state television channels, which are crucial to Putin's control over domestic politics. Marina Ovsyannikova, a Channel 1 staff member who interrupted a live news broadcast last week to display an anti-war poster, has been one of the most notable acts of protest. Others, like Likin, have resigned more quietly, showing the unrest within Putin's system and the significant influence television has in shaping Russians' views of the war. Zhanna Agalakova, a Channel 1 correspondent who resigned this month, described her colleagues as being clinically depressed. Many thoughtful individuals are feeling a sense of guilt, with no clear way to absolve themselves. Merely seeking forgiveness is not sufficient. Despite the decreasing influence of Russia's national television networks due to the popularity of YouTube and social media, they remain the primary source of news for the majority of the public. According to surveys conducted by the Levada Center, about two-thirds of Russians relied on state television for news last year, a decrease from 90% in 2014. State television has portrayed the conflict in a way that contrasts sharply with Western perspectives, depicting Russians as the heroes and liberators in the conflict with Ukraine. Images of dead civilians and destroyed homes are being wrongly labeled as fake or as a result of Ukrainians shelling their own city. According to a Channel 1 reporter, some locals in Mariupol claim that the Ukrainian military is intentionally targeting residential areas, while others believe that nationalists were instructed to cause as much destruction as possible before retreating. Polls show that many Russians are accepting the narrative being presented on their television screens, which portrays the war as a continuation of long-standing grievances against the West. Despite this, most state television journalists have continued to amplify the message of Russia fighting for its survival. Liliya Gildeyeva, a former anchor at NTV, admitted that she had compromised her values before realizing the extent of her actions once the war began. She stated that when you start to give in to yourself little by little, you may not realize how far you have fallen. The shock of the war led many Russians to leave the country in recent weeks, with flights to Turkey and Armenia being popular destinations. Among those leaving were journalists, activists, tech workers, young professionals, and even some members of Russia's elite. The most high-profile departure was Chubais, the Kremlin's climate envoy, who resigned over the war in Ukraine and left the country. The Kremlin has confirmed that Chubais has resigned. He was viewed as one of the few liberal officials left in Putin's government, and his prominent role in the economic reforms of the 1990s in Moscow made him unpopular in many parts of Russian society. It is uncertain whether the discontent among some of the elite could pose a threat to Putin's government. 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, mentioned that many of her former colleagues who chose to stay did not work for an ideal. "People have obligations to their family, loans to pay off, and basic needs to meet in order to survive. Those who leave their jobs at state television, especially if they speak out, face an uncertain future. Agalakova, who was a correspondent based in Paris, shared that some of her friends stopped talking to her after she resigned. Likin, on the other hand, plans to continue his career as an architect in Russia and may consider returning to television if there is a change in its messaging. Government-sponsored polls suggest that most Russians support Putin's actions, although experts warn that people may not be truthful in surveys during times of war. Agalakova now understands that years of propaganda on Russian television have influenced public opinion and prepared the way for the current conflict, by distorting Russians' memories of their country's past sacrifices into backing the government's policies." Agalakova expressed that the mention of Nazism in Ukraine by the Kremlin causes an immediate reaction in society, calling it a deceitful and shameless tactic. Due to the prevalence of propaganda, Russians who are skeptical of television have limited options for obtaining accurate news. The liberal Echo of Moscow radio station and TV Rain independent television channel have been shut down, while access to Facebook and Instagram has been blocked. Additionally, journalist Alexander Nevzorov is under criminal investigation for sharing information about the Russian bombing of Mariupol on Instagram. The most recent attempt to instill fear in critics of the war involves promoting a new law that threatens up to 15 years in prison for not following the official narrative of the conflict in Ukraine. Denis Volkov from the Levada polling center believes that the true test of Russian public opinion will be the economic impact of Western sanctions. Despite this, Volkov thinks that the Kremlin's narrative of the West undermining Ukraine and Russia defending its people abroad has been firmly accepted by television viewers and is unlikely to change soon. Many Russians believe what aligns with the television narrative, regardless of truth.