It is an example of the type of deal that has long been made by certain employees of the Kremlin propaganda machine - individuals who valued the stability of their job and the creative challenge, even if they did not agree with the goals of their workplace. Only this month, following President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, Likin resigned from his position as the art director for Channel 1, the Russian state television network that plays a significant role in the Kremlin's propaganda efforts. He stated that he was not a politician, but that the invasion meant he was now part of a campaign with a destructive agenda. Likin remarked in a phone interview that in Russia, television is tailored for individuals who are too lazy to seek information from other sources, lacking education or the habit of critical analysis. Putin's actions in Ukraine have prompted some Russians who have long been employed by the government to sever ties with it, indicating a struggle within the Kremlin to maintain full societal support for the war. There have been numerous arrests during protests against the invasion of Ukraine, with tens of thousands fleeing the country. Putin's climate envoy, Anatoly Chubais, resigned on Wednesday, making him the first senior government official to do so since the invasion began on February 24. Several high-profile resignations have also occurred at Russia's state television channels, which play a crucial role in Putin's control over domestic politics. Marina Ovsyannikova, a Channel 1 staff member, made a bold act of protest by interrupting a live news broadcast to display an anti-war poster. Other resignations, like Likin's, have been more quiet, revealing the unrest within Putin's system and highlighting the significant influence of television in shaping public perception of the war. Zhanna Agalakova, a Channel 1 correspondent who recently resigned, described a sense of clinical depression among some of her colleagues who remain. Many individuals who are thinking are feeling guilt and there is no way out, just asking for forgiveness is not sufficient. Russia's national television networks are all under Kremlin's control, even though their influence has decreased with the popularity of YouTube and social media, they are still the main source of news for the public. According to surveys conducted by the Levada Center, approximately two-thirds of Russians relied on state television for news last year, a decrease from 90% in 2014. Throughout the war, state television channels have portrayed a different view of the conflict compared to what is seen in the West, depicting Russians as the heroes who are bringing liberation to Ukrainian lands from neo-Nazis supported by the West. Photographs of dead civilians and destroyed homes are falsely labeled as fake or blamed on Ukrainians shelling themselves. Reports from Mariupol suggest that local residents believe the Ukrainian military is intentionally targeting residential buildings, while others claim nationalists were instructed to destroy the city before retreating. Polls show that many Russians believe the narrative presented by state television, linking the war to longstanding grievances against the West. Despite some journalists leaving their positions, many have chosen to stay and continue promoting Russia's struggle for its existence. Former NTV anchor Liliya Gildeyeva, who quit her job, 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 has caused a large number of Russians to leave the country in recent weeks, boarding flights to destinations like Turkey and Armenia. While some leaving were journalists and activists escaping potential arrest, many were tech workers and young professionals who no longer saw a future for themselves in Russia. Even some members of Russia's elite have left, with the highest-profile departure being 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 in Putin's government, and his key role in economic reforms in Moscow during the 1990s made him unpopular among many Russians. It remains uncertain whether discontent among some of the elite could have any impact on destabilizing Putin's government. Likin, the former art director of Channel 1, believed that those willing to resign for their principles were a small minority in Russian society. Agalakova, a former correspondent for Channel 1, stated that many of her former colleagues who stayed did not work for a particular idea. "People have obligations to their family, debts to pay, and basic needs to fulfill in order to survive. Those who leave their jobs at state television, especially those who speak out, face an uncertain future. Agalakova, who was a correspondent based in Paris, mentioned that some of her friends stopped talking to her after she resigned. Likin, on the other hand, plans to remain in Russia and continue his career as an architect. He mentioned that he might consider returning to television if there is a shift in its content towards promoting life rather than destroying it. Government-sponsored polls suggest that the majority of Russians support Putin's military actions, although analysts warn that people may not be completely honest in surveys during times of conflict. Agalakova now realizes that years of propaganda on Russian television have paved the way for war, particularly by twisting Russians' memory of their country's sacrifices in World War II to align with the current policies of the Kremlin." Agalakova expressed that the mention of Nazism in Ukraine by the Kremlin triggers immediate reactions from society, but she believes it is a manipulative and deceitful tactic. Due to the spread of propaganda, Russians who are skeptical of television have limited options for reliable news sources. Echo of Moscow radio station and TV Rain independent television channel have been shut down, and access to social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram has been blocked by the government. 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 a new law that can result in up to 15 years in prison for going against the official narrative of the conflict in Ukraine. According to Denis Volkov from the Levada polling center, the true test of Russian public opinion will come when the economic effects of Western sanctions are felt. Despite this, Volkov believes that the Kremlin's narrative of the situation has been deeply embedded in the minds of television viewers and is unlikely to be changed soon. Many Russians tend to accept news that aligns with the television narrative and dismiss anything that contradicts it, regardless of its truth.