Summary
- Netflix is facing criticism in Ukraine after securing permission to screen two new seasons of the Russian cartoon Masha and the Bear, a children’s series that Ukrainian officials have described as a Kremlin soft power tool aimed at shaping young minds.
- The cartoon, which follows a young girl and a bear, is produced by the Russian studio Animaccord and has become one of Russia’s most prominent entertainment exports.
- Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation has specifically labelled Masha and the Bear a Russian soft power tool, stating that the cartoon promotes a positive image of Russia through the bear character, highlights perceived foreign flaws through Masha’s behaviour, and normalises Soviet era militarism.
Netflix is facing criticism in Ukraine after securing permission to screen two new seasons of the Russian cartoon Masha and the Bear, a children’s series that Ukrainian officials have described as a Kremlin soft power tool aimed at shaping young minds.
The streaming giant has also extended its licensing agreement for earlier episodes of the show, with the new deal making the animated series available on Netflix in more than 100 countries, spanning markets across North America, Asia, Europe and Latin America.
The cartoon, which follows a young girl and a bear, is produced by the Russian studio Animaccord and has become one of Russia’s most prominent entertainment exports. While supporters of the show describe it as wholesome children’s entertainment, analysts in Ukraine argue that it helps cultivate a favourable perception of Russia among young audiences.
Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation has specifically labelled Masha and the Bear a Russian soft power tool, stating that the cartoon promotes a positive image of Russia through the bear character, highlights perceived foreign flaws through Masha’s behaviour, and normalises Soviet era militarism. The centre also noted that the series has previously drawn criticism in several European countries, including Italy, Finland, Germany and the United Kingdom.
The latest backlash comes during the fifth year of Russia’s full scale invasion of Ukraine, amid broader Ukrainian efforts to limit the influence of Russian media. Ukrainian media outlets have reported that some viewers have responded by cancelling their Netflix subscriptions in protest of the platform’s continued partnership with the Russian produced series.
