\u201cWe\u2019re a product of what we were born into,\u201d said Angeli Martinova, a Russian 21-year-old Foreign Exchange Student at San Francisco State University. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI am hoping that future generations of Ukrainians won\u2019t tell others that Russians are bad people\u2026Not all [Russian] civilians are at fault.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Martinova has lived in Moscow since she was eight, a city which has seen increasing authoritarian police and military presence as the invasion and subsequent war in Ukraine have escalated. She is against the war, and in contrast to her reality today, describes her childhood as something from a world of wonders. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAll I would see was wonderful color,\u201d said Martinova, describing Moscow as a beautiful place of abundant opportunity. \u201cI just remember, like a mind-blowingly bright childhood.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But as she grew older, her perspective on the enthralling world she lived in began to change. \u201cIt was getting progressively worse at an economical state because we were becoming more and more poor and there was just less money,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Martinova studied in the U.S. for two years while completing a foreign exchange program when COVID-19 struck the world. \u201cWhen I came back to Moscow when this COVID thing happened, I was shocked. I was looking around and wondering, how did it get worse?\u201d Martinova thought. \u201cIt\u2019s so green, gloomy.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The unfortunate reality is that life in Russia has only become scarier since Martinova moved back. With Ukraine and Russia nearing the end of a three-week mass-casualty war, hundreds of innocent civilians have been killed and countless others severely injured. Families in Ukraine are being displaced and left without safety and shelter. The events that have unfolded were fueled by long-time tensions over Putin\u2019s desire to expand the borders of Russia\u2019s territories. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEveryone\u2019s crying, everyone\u2019s stressed,\u201d Martinova said. \u201cEverywhere you walk you see people with the same look on their faces, looks of sadness.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As news outlets across the globe continue to report on the latest developments of the war in Ukraine, Russia has continued to bomb major cities. One target included a maternity hospital in Mariupol, Ukraine, which left 17 people severely injured. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As political and social tensions grow, Russian civilians have taken to the streets to protest against the country\u2019s \u201cmilitary operations,\u201d which is how the war is commonly referred to in Russian media, and not by choice. Russia enacted two major laws meant to monitor how the war is reported on and discussed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019m not allowed to spread \u2018fake information\u2019 about Russian military forces. But again, what is \u2018fake information?\u2019 \u2018Fake information\u2019 according to whom? The Russian government?\u201d scoffed Martinova in an interview with El Tecolote. \u201cMany major TV stations and independent ones have all closed, in the matter of a day. They decided to do it for themselves not because they were forced but for their own safety.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Recently an editor at Channel One burst out onto a live-broadcast with \u2018anti-war\u2019 poster to protest the current war. She was taken to court and has since then refused to retract her original statement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
These current laws can imprison citizens for up to 15 years should they be guilty of making comments that aren\u2019t aligned with the decisions of Russia\u2019s military leaders. The lack of an independent media presence and access to global news\u2014which is essential for citizens\u2014is affecting accuracy, credibility, and perspective on current events. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019m afraid to say anything about Russian forces, Ukrainian forces, and any other forces because [of] prison.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But aside from fear of speaking out, this atmosphere has also led to polarization. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhen my dad starts with all his propaganda stuff, I just don\u2019t listen. [My family] just talk and talk and we just get angry with each other,\u201d said Martinova. \u201cI am just frustrated and really tired\u2026I don\u2019t go into politics with them.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite these laws and polarizing views, Russian civilians continue to gather and protest in the major cities across the country. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou can\u2019t just walk around Moscow,\u201d said Martinova, who works at a Starbucks in Moscow, a city that is central to where several protests are being held. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOne of my boyfriend\u2019s coworkers was almost thrown in prison for just walking outside of the shop without proper documentation,\u201d she said. \u201cShe took five steps outside of her work and was taken into custody because they assumed she was part of the protests when she was just going on break.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNow we have to carry around slips of paper that state the times of our shifts and when we\u2019re finished and can go home.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As media outlets continue to report Russia and Ukraine, something that is critical to that reporting is perspective. This is increasingly true as American companies continue to divest from Russia and as Russia-themed businesses in the U.S. are targeted. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy family and I were trying to find the safest area but information changes every day,\u201d said Martinova. \u201cSo, I don\u2019t know what\u2019s safe for me anymore.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But with war still raging and with the number of casualties climbing, Martinova still has hope.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019m hoping for something peaceful,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019m hoping Ukrainian people won’t forget, but will at least forgive.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cWe\u2019re a product of what we were born into,\u201d said Angeli Martinova, a Russian 21-year-old Foreign Exchange Student at San Francisco State University. \u201cI am hoping that future generations of Ukrainians won\u2019t tell others that Russians are bad people\u2026Not all [Russian] civilians are at fault.\u201d Martinova has lived in Moscow since she was eight, a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":35,"featured_media":51261,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"newspack_popups_has_disabled_popups":false,"newspack_featured_image_position":"","newspack_post_subtitle":"","newspack_article_summary_title":"Overview:","newspack_article_summary":"","newspack_hide_updated_date":false,"newspack_show_updated_date":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[25122],"tags":[19107,621,19078],"coauthors":[25218],"class_list":["post-51260","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-en-en","tag-russia","tag-sfsu","tag-ukraine","entry"],"yoast_head":"\n