UK lawmakers urge review of "Masha and the Bear" over propaganda concerns

A cross-party group of British lawmakers has urged the government to review whether the children’s animated series Masha and the Bear should continue to be broadcast in the United Kingdom, citing concerns that it may function as a vehicle for Russian “soft power.”

In a letter addressed to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, more than 50 MPs from across the Liberal Democrats, Labour, Conservative, Green, SNP and Plaid Cymru parties called for “urgent government action” following Netflix’s decision to acquire two new seasons of the show and extend licensing agreements for existing content across more than 100 countries.

The series is also available to UK audiences via ITV’s streaming platform, ITVX, raising concerns among lawmakers about its accessibility to British children through both global and domestic platforms.

The MPs wrote: “We are writing to demand urgent government action following Netflix’s announcement that it has acquired two new seasons of the Russian animated series Masha and the Bear and extended its licensing agreement for existing seasons and spin-offs across more than 100 countries.

“This content is also streamed in the United Kingdom on ITVX. British children are being reached through both a major global streaming platform and a prominent domestic broadcaster and we believe this is unacceptable.

“British parents have a right to expect that content reaching their children through licensed platforms has been subject to proper scrutiny, especially where credible concerns about state propaganda have been raised by our allies.”

The show, which follows the adventures of a young girl and a retired circus bear and is loosely based on a traditional folk story, is among the most widely viewed children’s programmes on YouTube. One episode, Recipe for Disaster, has attracted more than 4.6 billion views.

Criticism of the series has previously been voiced by Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation and Estonia’s foreign minister, who have described it as an instrument of Russian “soft power.”

In their letter, the MPs argued that certain scenes involving the main character, Masha, amount to “propaganda content” that is “not subtle.” They cited episodes in which the character appears to wear a tank crew-style hat and Soviet-era uniform, as well as another instance in which she wears what they describe as a Soviet border guard’s cap associated with the NKVD, the Soviet Union’s secret police agency.

They noted that the NKVD was “responsible for mass deportations, executions and the persecution of tens of millions of people,” and warned that such imagery could influence young audiences.

The lawmakers also pointed to social media activity by the show’s studio, Animaccord, referencing an English-language post that read: “A real army girl with a butterfly net! Who hoo, I’m in the army now!”

They said such messaging was “actively normalising Soviet military iconography for a global audience of young children.”

Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation has similarly argued that Masha and the Bear is “not just a cartoon, but an instrument of Russian soft power,” alleging it promotes “the mockery of other nations’ traditions through Masha’s behaviour, and the normalisation of Soviet symbols and militaristic themes.”

Animaccord has rejected the allegations, stating that it is a private company producing entertainment content and has never received state funding.

Melanie Bonvicino, a spokesperson for the company, said: “My client categorically rejects the false and defamatory suggestion that Masha and the Bear is associated with propaganda."

By Tamilla Hasanova