MPs seek to end UK broadcast of Russian ‘soft power’ cartoon Masha and the Bear

A cartoon for preschoolers depicting the adventures of a small girl and a retired circus bear may seem an unlikely source of parliamentary concern.Yet a cross-party group of MPs has written to ministers urging them to examine whether they can stop Masha and the Bear from being broadcast in the UK, alleging it amounts to a cuddly form of Russian propaganda.The cartoon, loosely based on a traditional Russian oral folk story, is one of the most popular shows of all time on YouTube. One of its seven-minute episodes, Recipe for Disaster, has been viewed more than 4.6bn times on the site.However, the show has been criticised by a Ukrainian state-backed body and Estonia’s minister for foreign affairs as a form of Russian “soft power”.With the series recently recommissioned for Netflix and available on ITV’s digital platform, ITVX, a group of Liberal Democrat, Labour, Conservative, Green, SNP and Plaid Cymru MPs have written to the culture secretary, Lisa Nandy, asking her to intervene.The letter, overseen by the Lib Dem MP Tom Gordon and signed by more than 50 other MPs, argues that some of four-year-old Masha’s antics amount to “propaganda content” that is “not subtle”.The MPs point to an episode in which Masha is shown wearing what appears to be a tank-crew hat and Soviet-era uniform, and another in which she wears, according to the MPs, what appears to be a Soviet border guard’s cap, historically associated with the NKVD – the secret police agency of the Soviet Union. They say the agency was “responsible for mass deportations, executions and the persecution of tens of millions of people”.They said the imagery was also used on the English-language X account of the show’s studio, Animaccord, a Russian animation studio headquartered in Cyprus. The post features the caption: “A real army girl with a butterfly net! Who hoo, I’m in the army now!”The MPs said this was “actively normalising Soviet military iconography for a global audience of young children”.The MPs write: “We are writing to demand urgent government action following Netflix’s announcement that it has acquired two new seasons of the Russian animated series Masha and the Bear and extended its licensing agreement for existing seasons and spin-offs across more than 100 countries.“This content is also streamed in the United Kingdom on ITVX. British children are being reached through both a major global streaming platform and a prominent domestic broadcaster and we believe this is unacceptable.“British parents have a right to expect that content reaching their children through licensed platforms has been subject to proper scrutiny, especially where credible concerns about state propaganda have been raised by our allies.”They pointed to comments by Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation, which is backed by the Ukrainian government. It said Masha and the Bear was “not just a cartoon, but an instrument of Russian soft power”, arguing it featured “the mockery of other nations’ traditions through Masha’s behaviour, and the normalisation of Soviet symbols and militaristic themes”.Animaccord has strongly disputed the claims, stating it is a private business making a popular children’s show. It said it had never had any state funding.Melanie Bonvicino, a spokesperson for Animaccord, said: “My client categorically rejects the false and defamatory suggestion that Masha and the Bear is associated with propaganda.skip past newsletter promotionafter newsletter promotion“For nearly two decades, Masha and the Bear has entertained families in more than 100 countries through universal themes of friendship, kindness and imagination. The series contains no political messaging, and any claim to the contrary is wholly unsupported by its content.“Animaccord operates in full compliance with applicable laws. Assertions to the contrary are false, irresponsible and without evidentiary basis.”Other governments share UK MPs’ concerns. After the new Netflix deal was announced last month, Margus Tsahkna, Estonia’s minister of foreign affairs, said: “Masha and the Bear is part of the Kremlin’s soft power, embedding pro-Kremlin and militaristic messaging in children’s entertainment.“For many nations, including Estonia, [Soviet symbols] represent occupation, mass killings, deportations and crimes against humanity.”Russian state media have ridiculed the idea that the show features propaganda.The Department for Culture, Media and Sport declined to comment. Whitehall sources said it was up to broadcasters what they featured, as long as content stayed within broadcasting rules overseen by the media regulator, Ofcom.ITV declined to comment. It is understood its deal to feature the show did not involve a large fee.Netflix was contacted for comment.