Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna responded to news that streaming giant Netflix has acquired the rights to two additional seasons of the Russian animated series “Masha and the Bear” and extended its license for earlier seasons and spin‑offs.
“Russia wages war not only with missiles, but with narratives. “Masha and the Bear” is part of the Kremlin’s soft power, embedding pro-Kremlin and militaristic messaging in children’s entertainment while normalising Russia’s aggression and imperial ambitions,” Tsahkna said on social media.
“The world would never tolerate children’s content portraying Nazi symbols positively. Soviet symbols deserve the same moral clarity. For many nations, including Estonia, they represent occupation, mass killings, deportations and crimes against humanity,” the foreign minister said.
Several Ukrainian media outlets reported that Netflix acquired the rights to two more seasons of “Masha and the Bear” and extended its licensing agreement for earlier seasons and spin‑offs in more than 100 countries.
RBC‑Ukraine noted that after the news broke, Ukrainians began posting on social media about canceling their subscriptions and calling for a reassessment of attitudes toward the service.
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