OREANDA-NEWS An administrative case has been instituted against former editor of Channel One Marina Ovsyannikova, who ran out on air of Channel One with an anti-war poster, and she faces a fine of 50,000 rubles under an article on discrediting the armed forces. This was reported to RBC by the Ostankinskiy District Court.

"An administrative offence case is registered under Part 1 of Article 20.3.3 of the Administrative Code of the Russian Federation," court spokeswoman Kristina Yavkina told RBC.

Part 1 of this article implies responsibility for public actions aimed at discrediting the actions of the Russian military, including public calls for obstructing the use of armed forces in "defending the interests of the Russian Federation and its citizens, maintaining international peace and security."

Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov, commenting on the incident, said it was hooliganism and "not an issue of the Kremlin's agenda." He noted that "the TV channel and whoever is supposed to deal with it."

On March 15, a TASS source in law enforcement agencies reported that an initial inquiry is being conducted with regard to Ovsyannikova, the results of which will make clear whether her actions constitute a crime under Article 207.3 of the Criminal Code (public distribution of deliberately false information about the use of the Russian armed forces). Under this article the defendant could face a fine (from 700 thousand rubles), or imprisonment from three to 15 years.

The article about punishment for distribution of fakes about actions of the Russian Army appeared in the Criminal Code after the relevant decree was signed by President Vladimir Putin on March 4. Representatives of both houses of the Federal Assembly unanimously voted for the law.

Also, president Vladimir Putin signed a decree on the dismissal of Anatoly Chubais from the post of special presidential representative for sustainable development, said presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov, reports TASS.

March 23, Bloomberg reported, citing sources, that Chubais stepped down as special envoy of the president and left the country. The agency's sources specified that Chubais' departure was connected with his position on Ukraine.