Putin-bashing Russian journalist: They accuse me of spying

It's been a hard couple of months for Marina Ovsyannikova, the Russian state TV journalist who burst onto an evening newscast in March holding up a banner against her nation's actions in Ukraine.

"My mum supports Putin, my son has been brainwashed by his father, plus I'm being criticized by the supporters of the special military operation who troll me," she said in an interview with Sky News.

She has no job, she is living off the money she made from selling her car and she is in the middle of a fierce custody battle with her ex-husband who works at the Kremlin's English language channel. It is an attack from all sides.

"Part of the opposition troll me too. They call me a former propagandist. Plus, even the Ukrainians are speaking out against me because they believe all these fakes and conspiracy theories. They believe that the broadcast wasn't live and that I'm working for the FSB.

It's a complete lie! How can I be an agent? I'm a normal Russian woman who expressed her position as a citizen and they are trying to discredit me from every side," Ovsyannikova said.

Ovsyannikova left for Germany shortly after her appearance on state TV. She was offered a job with the German daily Die Welt but that's come to an end and she returned to Russia when her ex-husband sued for custody of their two children:

"My daughter called me every day asking, 'when are you coming back, Mummy?' I want to see you'. My husband, who's working for the Kremlin, he was turning them against me. I realized that I'm losing contact with them and if I didn't return, I would simply lose my children."