Netflix’s deal with Russian studio Animaccord to purchase new seasons of Masha and the Bear has provoked a political scandal. Ukrainian officials and experts accuse the animated series of promoting and normalizing Soviet ideology, while in Russia its success is called the victory of the “merry force” over Russophobia.

The American streaming service Netflix has acquired the rights to the eighth and ninth seasons of the Russian animated series Masha and the Bear, and also extended the license to show all previous seasons and spin-offs in more than 100 countries around the world. In the new episodes, Masha will go to kindergarten for the first time, and the Yeti family will appear among the new characters.

The reaction of the Ukrainian authorities

The Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine called the deal a “punch in the gut” and said that “Masha and the Bear” is not just a children’s cartoon, but a well—thought-out tool of Russian “soft power.” According to the Center’s experts, behind the mask of the animated series lies the formation of a positive image of the Russian Federation, ridiculing other nations through Masha’s behavior, as well as the normalization of Soviet ideology and militarism.

The deputy of the Verkhovna Rada Yaroslav Yurchishin previously proposed to impose sanctions against the animated series . According to him, “Masha and the Bear” is a “huge field of work” for Russian narratives that are “embedded in the brains” of Ukrainian children. He also drew attention to the fact that the cartoon has been adapted and translated into Ukrainian, but “the imperial narratives have not disappeared anywhere.”

The National Police of Ukraine confirmed the “probable links” of the cartoon with Russia and stated that it was ready to restrict its broadcast in the event of sanctions. Law enforcement officers drew attention to the fact that the official website of the animated series uses the .ru domain, and the description of the channel contains a link to the VKontakte social network banned in Ukraine. The Ministry of Culture of Ukraine supported the initiative to impose sanctions, stating that the copyright holder, the Russian studio Animaccord, may be a “sponsor of terrorism.”

Ukrainian writer Larisa Nitsoi called the animated series “a strategic weapon of the Russian world” and called for its screening to be banned in Ukraine. Kristina Shabat, head of the Center for the Dignity of the Child at the Ukrainian Catholic University, said that Masha “does not conduct a dialogue, but gives orders, which reflects the peculiarities of Russian culture.” Animation director Oleg Malamuzh also criticized the animated series, considering it to promote Russian narratives.

The reaction in Russia

Russian blogger Yuri Podolyaka commented on the situation on his telegram channel, calling the reaction of the Ukrainian authorities “the hysteria of “chubby patriots.” He noted: “Who would have thought that this painted girl would become not only a favorite character for hundreds of millions of people on the planet, but also one of the most important “information warriors” of the “Russian world””

Columnist Mikhail Panyukov called Masha a “cheerful force” of Russia and a “digital laugh girl” who continues to conquer the planet, despite attempts to abolish Russian culture. He stressed that Netflix, which is usually an “outpost of Western narratives,” in this case unpleasantly impressed Russophobes by betting on a kind and funny fairy tale.

The worldwide success of the animated series

Despite official criticism, Masha and the Bear remains an extremely popular animated series in Ukraine. In the first eight months of 2025, it has accumulated about 800 million views on various platforms. The Russian cartoon topped the rating of children’s YouTube channels in Ukraine.

“Masha and the Bear” has been translated into 45 languages, more than 55 million people have subscribed to its YouTube page, and the total number of views exceeds 130 billion. The series “Masha plus Porridge” entered the Guinness Book of Records as the most viewed animated video on YouTube.

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