Netflix has expanded its global licensing of the Russian animated series Masha and the Bear to more than 100 countries, a deal the streamer first confirmed in early June and that has now drawn a fresh wave of Ukrainian criticism. The acquisition covers Seasons 8 and 9 of the preschool hit, extends rights to the first seven seasons and to spin-offs Masha’s Tales and Masha’s Spooky Stories, and rolls out across North America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America. Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation (CCD) has described the cartoon as an instrument of Russian “soft power”, and Ukrainian subscribers are now cancelling their Netflix accounts.
Kyiv has pushed the same line since 2017, when the State Film Agency first reviewed the show’s legality. The argument lands harder now against the backdrop of Russia’s ongoing full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Netflix has not commented on the backlash.
The Deal Netflix Just Signed
The new package gives Netflix Seasons 8 and 9 of the Animaccord-produced series, alongside continued streaming rights to Seasons 1 through 7.
Coverage spans the United States, Canada, France, Portugal, the Nordic and Benelux regions, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, the Middle East and Latin America. The series will be offered in dubbed English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Italian, Dutch, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Polish, Turkish, Korean, Hindi and Arabic, among other languages, per the season rollout details on dubbed languages and territories.
Season 9 sends Masha into kindergarten for the first time and brings the Yeti family back for a winter holiday episode, Animaccord said. the exclusive report on Netflix’s Masha and the Bear renewal ran on June 9, 2026.
- 100+ countries where Masha and the Bear rights now extend on Netflix
- 9 seasons plus two spin-offs (Masha’s Tales, Masha’s Spooky Stories) under the expanded deal
- 15+ dubbed languages in the rollout, including English, Arabic, Hindi, Korean and Polish
- 55 million subscribers on the show’s dedicated English-language YouTube channel
- 40 billion+ views across the wider Masha and the Bear YouTube footprint
Why Kyiv Says It’s Soft Power
Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation argues that, taken together, the cartoon’s folklore, traditional family values and Russian national symbols frame the country as welcoming, gentle and non-threatening, while Soviet imagery such as a red five-pointed star appears in a child-friendly setting. The agency’s analysis says the series promotes a positive image of Russia through the kind Bear character, mocks other nations through Masha’s behaviour, and normalises Soviet-era narratives and militarism.
The Center frames the show as part of a broader Russian influence effort rather than pure entertainment, calling it an instrument of Russian “soft power”. the Center’s full analysis and the historical record of Ukrainian warnings trace the same position from the 2017 Derzhkino review through to the October 2025 Ministry of Culture call for sanctions.
The Subscriber Revolt
Within days of the deal’s wider coverage, Ukrainian users began posting screenshots of cancelled Netflix subscriptions on Threads and other platforms. RBC-Ukraine quoted one user writing in the cancellation reason that Netflix was “a sponsor and supporter of the aggressor country.” Others said they were cancelling for the first time, or that the move was “the final straw” in their relationship with the streamer.
You have no idea how principled Ukrainians are as a nation.
The comment, attributed to user Yulia T., was among dozens of similar posts collected by RBC-Ukraine on June 25, 2026. The CCD’s own Threads post on the deal was widely shared; users framed the issue as not a single cartoon but the broader pattern of international platforms investing in Russian content during the war.
Netflix has not yet commented on the backlash or the cancellations. The platform’s social media pages have begun to carry the same cancellation notices in their replies.
Animaccord’s Reply and a Massive Audience
Animaccord has rejected accusations that Masha and the Bear is state propaganda or funded by the Russian government. Supporters frame the cartoon as a globally successful preschool property with no explicit political messaging, a position the studio has held for years.
The show’s commercial scale underwrites both arguments. One episode has surpassed 4.6 billion YouTube views, recognised as the platform’s most-watched non-music video. The dedicated English-language channel alone has more than 4 million subscribers, and the wider Masha footprint has crossed 40 billion views. Animaccord launched the series in 2009 and has produced it ever since, though the franchise’s creator, Oleg Kuzovkov, recently launched a new independent studio, Studio MiM, after his licensing agreement with Animaccord expired, according to a May 12, 2026 industry report on the IP shift.
Europe Has Argued This Before
The current fight echoes earlier European controversies over the same series. According to the Center for Countering Disinformation, the show has already faced severe criticism in several European countries where politicians, analysts and media outlets have debated whether the cartoon functions as Russian cultural influence aimed at young audiences.
- Italy
- Finland
- Germany
- United Kingdom
What has changed with Netflix’s expanded deal is the territory list. Until now, the series appeared on Netflix in a narrower set of markets; the new agreement brings the United States, Canada and several European countries that had not previously had the show on the streamer into the same licensing envelope. European regulators have not signalled any coordinated response.
Ukraine’s Ministry of Culture statement on Animaccord’s Russian tax ties puts the country on a more concrete path than its European counterparts. The ministry confirmed in October 2025 that Animaccord pays taxes in Russia and maintains enduring ties through its ownership, management and intellectual property, even with Cyprus-based offshore entities in its corporate structure.
Inside Ukraine, the institutional machinery is already moving. The Verkhovna Rada’s Committee on Freedom of Speech, led by Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, has appealed to law enforcement over possible links between the cartoon and Russia, and police have said they are prepared to restrict access to the content in Ukraine if sanctions are imposed.
Where Ukraine Stands on Sanctions
The Ukrainian government now has the institutional pieces in place to escalate. The Ministry of Culture has backed sanctions against the show; the National Police says it is ready to enforce any broadcast restrictions; and the parliamentary committee on freedom of speech has formally referred the cartoon to law enforcement.
Whether sanctions will follow depends on a process that has been underway since at least October 2025. Even without formal sanctions, the political backdrop is enough to keep pressure on any platform licensing the show in Ukraine.
| Party | Position | Public action |
|---|---|---|
| Center for Countering Disinformation | “Instrument of Russian soft power” | Public statements; Threads post widely reshared in Ukraine |
| Ministry of Culture | “Pays taxes in Russia, has enduring ties” | Backed sanctions in October 2025 |
| Animaccord (producer) | “Rejected accusations of state propaganda” | Continues global licensing; declined state-funding claim |
| Ukrainian subscribers | “Sponsors of the aggressor country” | Cancelling Netflix accounts and posting screenshots |
For Netflix, the immediate cost is reputational in one market at a time. For Animaccord, the licensing revenue across 100+ countries continues. Ukraine’s Ministry of Culture backed sanctions in October 2025, and the National Police has said it is prepared to enforce any broadcast restrictions if they follow.
