Ukraine sanctions 'Masha and the Bear' producers
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- Zelenskyy signed a decree Thursday imposing sanctions on producers and distributors of 'Masha and the Bear,' including its studio Animaccord, accusing the show of spreading 'pro-Russian narratives' and threatening Ukrainian national security.
- Culture Minister Tetyana Berezhna announced the sanctions Friday, saying they create legal grounds to block the content in Ukraine and engage 'international platforms to restrict its monetisation and distribution.'
- The 'Masha and the Bear' YouTube channel has been viewed more than 37 billion times globally and is broadcast in about 100 countries; Ukraine's local channel topped the country's children's ranking last August with over 18 million followers, per Ukrainska Pravda.
- In June, Ukraine protested Netflix's acquisition of rights to stream new seasons of the show, according to the source.
- The UK and Estonia have also criticized the show as an instrument of Russian soft power, per the source.
- Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the allegations, saying the cartoon 'conquered the world' by promoting 'the finest human qualities.'
Why it matters: Ukraine's sanctions explicitly aim to pressure international platforms into restricting distribution and monetisation of one of Russia's most-watched cultural exports — a YouTube channel with 37+ billion views, broadcast in 100 countries, and 18 million local followers in Ukraine alone, where it was the top children's channel last year.
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