Turin, 21 Aug. (LaPresse) – Ukraine has imposed sanctions on the producers of the famous Russian animated series *Masha and the Bear*, which has been accused of being a tool of Kremlin propaganda. The sanctions, introduced by a decree signed by President Volodymyr Zelensky, have been imposed “on five Russian citizens and four companies involved in the production and distribution” of the series, “which disseminates pro-Russian narratives disguised as children’s content, posing a threat to Ukraine’s national security”, explains the President’s office. Among those targeted by the sanctions are the animation studio Animaccord, its founder, its managing director, the screenwriter, the director, the producer and the co-author of the series. “This creates the legal basis for blocking the content in Ukraine and engaging international platforms to limit its monetisation and distribution. “Russian propaganda has no place on children’s screens, neither in Ukraine nor anywhere else in the world,” stated Kyiv’s Minister of Culture, Tetyana Berezhna, on X. According to Ukrainska Pravda, in August 2025, the channel featuring Masha and the Bear topped the rankings of the most popular children’s channels on YouTube among Ukrainians.
Ukraine: Kyiv imposes sanctions on the producers of the ‘Masha and the Bear’ cartoon
Turin, 21 Aug. (LaPresse) – Ukraine has imposed sanctions on the producers of the famous Russian animated series *Masha and the Bear*, which has been accused of being a tool of Kremlin propaganda. The sanctions, introduced by a decree signed by President Volodymyr Zelensky, have been imposed “on five Russian citizens and four companies involved in the production and distribution” of the series, “which disseminates pro-Russian narratives disguised as children’s content, posing a threat to Ukraine’s national security”, explains the President’s office. Among those targeted by the sanctions are the animation studio Animaccord, its founder, its managing director, the screenwriter, the director, the producer and the co-author of the series. “This creates the legal basis for blocking the content in Ukraine and engaging international platforms to limit its monetisation and distribution. “Russian propaganda has no place on children’s screens, neither in Ukraine nor anywhere else in the world,” stated Kyiv’s Minister of Culture, Tetyana Berezhna, on X. According to Ukrainska Pravda, in August 2025, the channel featuring Masha and the Bear topped the rankings of the most popular children’s channels on YouTube among Ukrainians.