Ukraine-Krieg: Ukraine verbietet „Mascha und der Bär“
Weltweit schauen Millionen Kinder die russische Zeichentrickserie „Mascha und der Bär“. Doch nun sieht die Ukraine darin eine Gefahr für die nationale Sicherheit. Moskau reagiert prompt.
Ukraine has prohibited the popular Russian cartoon series "Mascha and the Bear" within its borders, citing it as a threat to national security. The Ukrainian government has placed sanctions on the filmmakers, deeming the animated films a danger. In 2025 alone, the Ukrainian-language YouTube channel for "Mascha and the Bear" garnered over 800 million views.
Culture Minister Tetjana Bereschna expressed this stance on Facebook, stating that there is no place for Russian propaganda on children's screens, both in Ukraine and globally.
The popularity of the Ukrainian version of the show stems from a recent journalistic study, which found it to be the most-watched Ukrainian-language YouTube channel in the war-torn country, with advertising revenues funding taxes paid to the Russian government, which in turn supports its military campaign against Ukraine. Streaming platforms like YouTube can block content for users in specific countries to comply with legal requirements.
Ukraine has been at war with Russia for four and a half years, not only opposing the widespread use of the Russian language but also the cultural influence of its neighbor.
The main characters of the cartoons are a young girl named Mascha in traditional Russian attire and a former circus bear who communicates through gestures and sounds. Since 2009, the series has been produced and broadcast in dozens of countries, including Germany. However, it has also faced criticism in the United Kingdom and Estonia due to Mascha's appearance in several episodes with military clothing and Soviet symbols.
Russia condemned Ukraine's decision, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskow stating that the Ukrainian regime's war extends even to cartoon films, showing its barbarity. The Kremlin referred to the animated heroes as having conquered the entire world with their kindness, calling it propaganda in the good sense of the word. The sanctions have been imposed for a period of ten years.
Ukraine has called on its allies to take similar measures against the dissemination of the animated films. Netflix acquired the rights to further seasons of the children's series only in June.
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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