Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, Head of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Freedom of Speech, drew attention to the possible links of the popular cartoon "Masha and the Bear" with the aggressor country and called for sanctions against it. The politician emphasized that even the adapted Ukrainian translation does not hide the imperial narratives and militarization of content characteristic of Russian propaganda. Yurchyshyn wrote about this on his Facebook, UNN reports.
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Cartoons are a huge field of work where Russia enters to invade the minds of our children. Parents often do not pay attention to what they turn on for their little ones on YouTube. We must clear this field of Russian content and stimulate the creation of our own product.
– Yurchyshyn stated.
Earlier, signs of Russian propaganda were found in the cartoon: the main character always remains unpunished, and in several episodes, she appears in a Soviet "cap" and a tank driver's hat.
Part. In the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk region, culture has turned into military propaganda - CNS.
In response to Yurchyshyn's appeal, the National Police confirmed probable links with Russia: the official resources of the cartoon point to the VK social network (blocked in Ukraine), and the website is hosted on a Russian domain, although it redirects to a supposedly neutral domain.
There is also a purely economic factor: money from monetization goes to the Russian animation studio
– Yurchyshyn added.
He also reported that in case of sanctions, the National Police is ready to participate in restricting access to content, and the Cabinet of Ministers has already sent relevant instructions to the SBU, the National Council on Television and Radio Broadcasting, the National Security and Defense Council, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy.
According to The Times, the character of Masha can be perceived as Russia's "soft power," and the cartoon is used to shape certain values in children from an early age.
Part. YouTube blocked Murayev's and Balashov's channels for spreading disinformation.