Zelenskyy targets "Masha and the Bear" in new sanctions decree

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed a decree imposing sanctions on the creators and distributors of the animated series Masha and the Bear, according to the website of the Office of the President.

Under the decree, sanctions have been imposed on five Russian nationals and four organisations involved in the production and distribution of the animated series.

The official statement said the cartoon “promotes pro-Russian narratives disguised as children’s content, posing a threat to Ukraine’s national security.”

The decision enables Ukraine to ban the broadcast of the series in the country.

The sanctions also target companies linked to Russia’s defence-industrial complex, businesses belonging to the Rusal group, individuals described as collaborators, and Russian officials.

Masha and the Bear, 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-watched children’s programs on YouTube. One episode, Recipe for Disaster, has accumulated more than 4.6 billion views.

The series has previously faced criticism from Ukraine’s Centre for Countering Disinformation and Estonia’s foreign minister, both of whom have described it as a tool of Russian “soft power.”

By Tamilla Hasanova