Ukraine has imposed sanctions on the producers and distributors of the popular Russian animated series Masha and the Bear, accusing the programme of promoting pro-Russian narratives and posing a threat to national security.
Ukrainian Culture Minister Tetyana Berezhna announced the sanctions on Friday, saying they create legal grounds for blocking the cartoon in Ukraine and seeking restrictions on its monetisation and distribution on international platforms.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed the decree on Thursday. The measures target the creators and distributors of the series, including its production studio, Animaccord.
Masha and the Bear, which follows a mischievous young girl named Masha and a retired circus bear, has become hugely popular worldwide. Its YouTube channel has recorded more than 37 billion views, while the programme is broadcast in around 100 countries.
Ukraine and some of its allies, including the United Kingdom and Estonia, have accused the cartoon of being used as a tool of Russian soft power. Ukraine also protested in June after Netflix moved to acquire rights to stream new seasons of the series.
The cartoon remains particularly popular among Ukrainian children. According to Ukrainska Pravda, its Ukrainian YouTube channel ranked among the country’s most popular children’s channels last August and currently has more than 18 million followers.
Russia rejected Ukraine’s accusations. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov defended the series, saying it had “conquered the world” by promoting positive human qualities.
The sanctions come amid Ukraine’s continued efforts to restrict Russian cultural products following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
.jpeg)
0 $type={blogger}:
Post a Comment