Sanctions are being prepared in Ukraine against the creators of ‘Masha and the Bear’: what happened
This has been reported by LB.ua, citing Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Centre for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defence Council. The news of the extension of the agreement with Netflix has also been confirmed by specialist international publications.
Why Ukraine wants to impose sanctions
According to Kovalenko, the Centre for Countering Disinformation prepared an analytical report on the animated series as early as last autumn. In it, ‘Masha and the Bear’ was described as a tool of Russian ‘soft power’ and hybrid influence.
According to the Centre’s assessment, the cartoon promotes a positive image of Russia through the character of the Bear, ridicules other nations through the character of Masha, and normalises Soviet symbolism and military motifs in children’s content.
Following the release of new episodes, the Centre updated its analysis and recommended imposing sanctions against the ‘Animaccord’ studio.
“Sanctions will give us legal grounds to approach YouTube regarding the blocking of this content within Ukraine. They will also enable us to engage with Netflix on a legal footing,” explained Kovalenko.
What stage is the decision at?
At present, the sanctions have not yet been imposed.
According to Kovalenko, preparations are currently underway to establish the legal framework for potentially adding individuals and legal entities involved in the creation and distribution of the animated series to the sanctions list. This work, he said, is being handled by Vladislav Vlasyuk, the President of Ukraine’s adviser on sanctions policy.
In Ukraine, the decision to impose sanctions is taken by the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine upon the recommendation of authorised state bodies, after which it is enacted by a presidential decree.
What is known about the state’s position
Back in the autumn of 2025, the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine supported the idea of imposing sanctions on the creators of the animated series. At the same time, the National Police of Ukraine stated its readiness to help restrict the distribution of the content should a corresponding decision be taken.
Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Freedom of Speech, said following the news of the new Netflix agreement that he had appealed to the Verkhovna Rada, the Cabinet of Ministers, the National Security and Defence Council, the National Police and the Office of the President, calling on them to initiate sanctions against individuals and companies involved in the production and distribution of the cartoon.
Why the issue has resurfaced
A new wave of debate has been sparked by Netflix’s decision to acquire the rights to two new seasons of ‘Masha and the Bear’ and to extend the licensing agreement for previous seasons and spin-offs.
Under the new agreement, the animated series will be broadcast in more than 100 countries, including the US, Canada, France, Portugal, the countries of Northern Europe, Benelux, Japan, South Korea, India, the Middle East and Latin America.
Following the announcement of the deal, criticism of Netflix was voiced not only in Ukraine. In the UK, more than 50 MPs from various political parties also called on the government to investigate the possibility of halting the series’ broadcast, describing it as an instrument of Russian ‘soft power’.
The studio’s response
Animaccord Studio rejects accusations of spreading propaganda. Company representatives state that “Masha and the Bear” is a family entertainment project with no political messages, and that the company itself does not receive funding from the Russian state.
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