The text provides an example of employees of the Kremlin propaganda machine who have historically valued their work and the challenges it presents, despite not necessarily agreeing with the mission of their workplace. Recently, after President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, Likin, who had been the art director for Channel 1, resigned from his position. He stated that he was not a politician but felt that the invasion aligned him with a harmful agenda. Likin expressed that Russian television caters to those who rely on it due to laziness or lack of access to alternative sources of information. The invasion of Ukraine by Putin has prompted some long-time government workers in Russia to sever ties with the regime, indicating a struggle within the Kremlin to maintain complete societal unity in support of the war. Thousands of people have been arrested for protesting 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 Feb 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 protest by interrupting a live news broadcast to display an anti-war poster. Other resignations have been more quiet, shedding light on 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 resigned recently, described her colleagues left behind as "clinically depressed" due to the situation. Many intelligent individuals are feeling their own sense of guilt, with no way out. Merely asking for forgiveness is not sufficient. While Russia's national television networks are under Kremlin control, their impact has decreased with the popularity of YouTube and social media. However, they remain the primary source of news for the public. Approximately two-thirds of Russians relied on state television for news last year, a decrease from 90% in 2014, according to surveys conducted by the Levada Center, an independent pollster in Moscow. Throughout the war, state television channels have portrayed a narrative of the conflict that contrasts sharply with what is seen in the West, portraying Russians as the heroes fighting against neo-Nazis supported by the Western powers. Pictures of dead civilians and destroyed homes are being wrongly labeled as either fake or the result of Ukrainians shelling themselves. According to a Channel 1 reporter broadcasting from Mariupol, some locals believe the Ukrainian military is intentionally targeting residential buildings, while others claim nationalists were ordered to destroy the city before retreating. Polls show that many Russians believe the narrative presented on state television, which portrays the war as a continuation of longstanding grievances against the West. Despite the propaganda, some journalists have left their positions, with one anchor admitting to compromising her values before realizing the extent of her actions once the war began. "When you start to give in to yourself gradually, you may not realize how far you have fallen," she explained. The aftermath of the war seemed to be the driving force behind the significant number of Russians leaving the country in recent weeks, with many booking flights to destinations like Turkey and Armenia. While some of these individuals were journalists and activists escaping potential arrest, others included tech workers and young professionals who felt that there was no longer a promising future for them in Russia. Even members of Russia's elite have chosen to leave, with the most notable departure being Chubais, the Kremlin's climate envoy, who resigned due to the war in Ukraine and departed the country. The Kremlin confirmed that Chubais had resigned. He was viewed as one of the few officials in Putin's government with liberal views, and his significant role in the economic reforms of the 1990s in Moscow made him unpopular in many parts of Russian society. It is not certain if the complaints from some of the elite could have any impact on destabilizing Putin's government. Likin, the former art director of Channel 1, stated that those like him who were willing to step down based on their beliefs were a small proportion of Russia's population. Agalakova, the former correspondent of Channel 1, commented that many of her former colleagues who chose to stay did not work for a particular idea. "People have obligations to their family, debts to pay, and a need 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, mentioned that some of her acquaintances stopped talking to her after she left. Likin, on the other hand, plans to stay in Russia and continue his career as an architect. He mentioned that he would consider returning to television if it shifts its focus to promoting life instead of promoting death. Government-sponsored surveys suggest that most Russians support Putin's invasion, although analysts warn that people may not be truthful in surveys during times of war. Agalakova now realizes that years of propaganda on Russian television have influenced public opinion and prepared the way for war by distorting Russians' memory of their country's sacrifices in World War II to align with the Kremlin's current policies." Agalakova expressed that when the concept of Nazism is falsely linked to Ukraine by the Kremlin, causing reactions from society, it is a deceitful and shameless game. Amid the spread of propaganda, Russians who are skeptical of television news sources have limited options for obtaining accurate information. The Echo of Moscow radio station and TV Rain independent television channel have been shut down, while access to Facebook and Instagram has been blocked by the government. Additionally, a popular journalist, Alexander Nevzorov, is under criminal investigation for posting about the Russian bombing of Mariupol on his Instagram page. The most recent attempt to instill fear in critics of the war involved promoting a new law that can result in up to 15 years in prison for going against 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 seen as the economic difficulties caused by Western sanctions begin to affect society. Despite this, Volkov thinks that the Kremlin's narrative of the West trying to undermine Russia by supporting Ukraine and Russia fighting to protect its people abroad has become deeply ingrained in the minds of television viewers and is unlikely to change soon. Many Russians seem to accept news that aligns with the television narrative and reject anything that doesn't, regardless of its truthfulness.