Russia’s federal prosecutors and official investigative committee have launched another investigation into Russian-Israeli animator Oleg Kuvaev, creator of the popular Russian-language animated series Masyanya.
The probe follows a complaint filed by members of the pro-Putin patriotic movement Voice of the People over the 182nd episode of the series, which aired on YouTube on May 31, 2024. According to the complaint, Kuvaev “depicts citizens as victims of propaganda and ridicules patriotic sentiments.” It also accuses the animation of spreading “lies about the army, inciting hatred and justifying terrorism.” In the episode in question, the complaint claims, Russians who support the government are portrayed as dogs.
Episode 182 is a parody of Mikhail Bulgakov’s famous novella Heart of a Dog, titled Cat’s Ass. In Bulgakov’s original, a professor transforms a dog into a man—but in Kuvaev’s satirical version, the reverse occurs. The episode delivers a scathing critique of supporters of the Russian government and its occupation of Ukraine.
In December 2023, the Russian Interior Ministry issued a wanted notice for Kuvaev, who has lived in Israel since 2006. Around the same time, the Russian Ministry of Justice added his name to its official register of “foreign agents,” accusing him of opposing Russia’s “special military operation” in Ukraine. Kuvaev was formally indicted last year, and the latest move marks a new phase in the legal campaign against him.
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Kuvaev first drew ire from Russian authorities in July 2022 with Episode 162 of Masyanya, titled Saint Maryoburg, which opens with a fictional scenario in which China invades Russia. A disclaimer at the start read: “This cartoon is directed at those who, by some monstrous mistake, support the Russian-Ukrainian war.” The episode marked a turning point, with Kuvaev repeatedly addressing the war in Ukraine and life inside Russia under wartime conditions in subsequent episodes
“I release one episode a month, and for the past three years, every one of them has focused on the war, so the Russian authorities have plenty of reasons to be angry at me,” Kuvaev said. “Officially, the indictment claims that one of the cartoons included an advertisement for a website encouraging Russian soldiers to surrender. But in reality, there are many other reasons.”
Alex Tenzer, a Russian-born Israeli media expert and social activist, said the campaign against Kuvaev follows a familiar pattern. “Putin’s regime is targeting anti-war dissidents not only inside Russia but abroad as well,” he said. “Many of them live in Israel, including singer Andrey Makarevich, comedian Semyon Slepakov and performers Mikhail Schatz and Maxim Galkin. The regime is afraid of them because they remain in the headlines in Russia. Masyanya continues to attract a huge audience, with hundreds of thousands of viewers watching each episode.”