On August 29, 2025, Grigory Azarenok discussed the claim that “Masha and the Bear” had been deemed a threat to Ukraine’s national security on his program “Azarenok. Directly” with commentator Yuri Terekh.
“Here’s a funny one: the animated series ‘Masha and the Bear’ has been declared a threat to Ukraine’s national security,” the host said.
“That happened a while ago!” It was even acknowledged by the GUR, if I’m not mistaken — that’s the funny part,” the guest replied.
“Well, now it’s official,” Azarenok said.
Information suggesting a ban on “Masha and the Bear” has indeed surfaced. Since 2017, Ukrainian activists have repeatedly filed petitions on the issue. They argued that the show is a Russian propaganda product designed to make Ukrainian children more receptive to Russian narratives.
In late August 2025, Ukraine’s Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security also raised the topic. Among other things, “Masha and the Bear” has been accused of harming children’s mental health, while its creators have been suspected of indirectly funding the Russian military.
Nevertheless, “Masha and the Bear” does not appear on the current list of films banned by Ukraine’s State Film Agency. The series is also not mentioned on the website of Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence.
It is likely that Grigory Azarenok picked up the claim about the ban from the satirical Telegram channel “Vo///d” and presented it as fact. No reputable Ukrainian or international media outlet has published such claims in recent times.
“Masha and the Bear” is one of Russia’s most famous animated projects worldwide. It is broadcast in more than 150 countries, translated into dozens of languages, and is even available on Netflix. In 2014, the series was translated into Ukrainian and given its own YouTube channel. Today it is the most popular children’s channel in Ukraine, with 18 million subscribers and more than 800 million views in just the first part of 2025.
