October 19, 2026

Cartoons vs Kremlin


Cartoons vs Kremlin
Cartoon character Masyanya, and her creator, Russian cartoonist Oleg Kuvaev. Russian state media, Gazeta.ru

After a years-long criminal investigation, “Masyanya” creator Oleg Kuvaev was tried and sentenced in absentia for the series’ 169th episode. The Nevsky District Court in St. Petersburg sentenced the artist to four years and one month in a penal colony for his calls to action against Russia and violations of his foreign agent status.

“Masyanya” is a popular Russian web series that has been running since 2001. The series even became a part of mainstream TV programming, but has since been banned in Russia due to its pointed anti-war criticism.

Episode 169, titled “Idoliada,” was released in July 2023, with a criminal investigation into Kuvaev in October of the same year. By December 2023, the Russian Ministry of Justice listed Kuvaev as a foreign agent in its federal register.

The fateful fifteen-minute episode chronicles the meteoric rise of Anton Bloblin, a ruthlessly villainous head of state. Children sing absurd praises, and radios glorify the now-aging, balding tyrant. Masyanya, the title character, must lead the daily workplace ritual venerating Bloblin. Bloblin then orders a mass suicide in which the entire country perishes, aside from Masyanya and her boyfriend.

While the episode is a highly critical parable of Russian leadership (Bloblin is intended as a direct counterpart to Putin), one of the most egregious issues for the Russian Justice Ministry appears after the episode ends. Masyanya encourages Russian soldiers to surrender, and promotes “I Want to Live,” a Ukrainian hotline that helps Russian service members who do not want to fight surrender safely to the Ukrainian military.

Kuvaev has lived in Israel since 2006, snidely commenting on the court’s sentencing that “there is not much to talk about…maybe just, ‘I am sorry and concerned about the state of sanity in this rotten empire.”

You Might Also Like

Voice by Vote
  • September 27, 2026

Voice by Vote

Russia isn't known for its transparent democracy, but that didn't stop some voters from voicing their opinions through the ballot box.
12 Years for Hating War
  • May 26, 2026

12 Years for Hating War

Anna Arkhipova has been sentenced to 12 years for hating war and saying so publicly.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

Russian Rules
November 16, 2011

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.

How Russia Got That Way
September 20, 2025

How Russia Got That Way

A fast-paced crash course in Russian history, from Norsemen to Navalny, that explores the ways the Kremlin uses history to achieve its ends.

At the Circus
January 01, 2013

At the Circus

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.

A Taste of Chekhov
December 24, 2022

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.

The Samovar Murders
November 01, 2019

The Samovar Murders

The murder of a poet is always more than a murder. When a famous writer is brutally stabbed on the campus of Moscow’s Lumumba University, the son of a recently deposed African president confesses, and the case assumes political implications that no one wants any part of.

Survival Russian
February 01, 2009

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.

Murder and the Muse
December 12, 2016

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.

The Moscow Eccentric
December 01, 2016

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.

About Us

Russian Life is the 31-year-old publication of an award-winning publishing house that also creates books, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955