'Masha and the Bear': Ukraine sanctions Russian cartoon
Ukraine has imposed sanctions on the hit Russian children's cartoon "Masha and the Bear," a step towards banning it. The culture minister called the show propaganda. Russia said the move showed Kyiv's "ugly nature."
Ukrainian Culture Minister Tetyana Berezhna announced sanctions on the producers and distributors of the Russian children's cartoon series "Masha and the Bear" on Friday. This move allows Ukraine to attempt to remove and demonetize the series on platforms like YouTube or streaming services such as Netflix within the country. The cartoon, which follows a mischievous young girl's friendship with a retired circus bear, debuted in 2009 and has become one of Russia's most successful television exports.
The sanctions were imposed due to the show's alleged promotion of pro-Russian narratives and its potential to pose a threat to Ukraine's national security. Berezhna stated that Ukraine seeks to have similar sanctions mirrored by international partners, potentially broadening the restrictions. Animaccord Animation Studios, the company behind the series, has dismissed the allegations of Russian propaganda as false and defamatory, asserting that the show operates independently without any government funding from Moscow.
Russian officials have dismissed the sanctions, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov describing the show as a global success that promotes positive human qualities. The controversy surrounding "Masha and the Bear" has been ongoing for nearly a decade, with the first complaint filed by Ukraine's State Film Agency in 2017. Recent actions include protests against Netflix acquiring the rights to stream new seasons of the show in June and appeals from British parliamentarians urging streaming platforms to remove the cartoon due to its alleged exposure of children to Russian and Soviet military imagery.
Estonian politicians have also expressed concerns that the show serves as an instrument of Russian soft power.
Western analysts, while acknowledging the concerns, have cautioned against overestimating the impact of these allegations. They argue that while the show may not be the most sophisticated television, it is still endearing and heartwarming, with a significant global audience, including over 54 billion views on YouTube.
Written by urgent.news from DW English (Top Stories)'s reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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