Featured Image Credit: CNN
Topics: Russia, Ukraine, Vladimir Putin
Poppy Bilderbeck
Russian actress Masha Mashkova has opened up about her father's response to her criticism of President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.
Since Putin first sent troops across the border on 24 February, Russian citizens have been left divided over whether or not they support the invasion.
A Russian journalist was arrested after she staged a TV protest and Russian influencers have spoken out about their livelihoods being 'taken away' following the country's social media ban.
Masha Mashkova has since responded to comments made by her father, actor Vladimir Mashkov, at a pro-war rally last week ,and revealed what he told her in a telephone conversation in response to her criticism of Putin.
While Mashkova clarified that she didn't want to 'talk for him' and can talk for herself, she noted the 'different reality' her and her father are living in.
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She said: "I talked on the phone with my dad yesterday and now I do believe that unfortunately yes, I told him that I'm going to speak to CNN, and asked if I can tell what he told me, and he said yes.
"He asked me to come back to Russia immediately, to take my daughters with me, to be a good Russian, to ask for forgiveness, for betrayal, and to be with Russian people, with my people to help fight Ukrainian Nazis."
At the rally held last week, Vladimir Mashkov – who has been in films such as Behind Enemy Lines (2001) and Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011) – called those who 'compose lampoons' behind Russia's back 'lackeys'.
He continued: "Those who seek to be politically correct in the eyes of Europe and America wallowing in hatred.
"We are Russian people, we love our country, we are for the world without Nazism. We are for our army, for our president."
Mashkova noted that she decided to open up about the conflict with her father because of one of her daughters. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, Mashkova explained her daughter found a dance teacher online who she struck up a friendship with and even visited. The dance teacher is based in Kyiv.
Mashkova also reflected on her own experiences having worked in Ukraine, and having been 'privileged to travel around the world and see the world with [her] own eyes'.
"I worked a lot in Russia and Ukraine. Last year I was in Kyiv and I saw beautiful, kind Ukrainian people. I have many friends and colleagues there. None of them hated me for being Russian and none of them asked to be saved by Mr Putin. That's what I saw."
The actress continued: "I know that there are a lot of Russians, my friends and colleagues who are in absolute agony right now seeing Ukrainian people suffering.
"And I just hope that we can one day find friends to transform Russia into a country of compassion and progress not lies and violence."
While she reflected that it's 'easy' for her to speak because of being 'in another country now', Masha concluded that despite loving both her father and grandmother very much – her mother's mum who 'also believes Putin's version of reality' – she's 'not sure' if she'd even be able to return to Russia.
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