Ukrainian animation director warns of negative influence from "Masha and the Bear" cartoon

Ukrainian animation director Oleg Malamuzh warns that the Russian cartoon "Masha and the Bear" negatively influences children. The cartoon's main character, Masha, is portrayed as selfish and aggressive, potentially fostering similar traits in young viewers. Malamuzh argues this behavior, if emulated, can lead to problematic social development. Malamuzh attributes the cartoon's popularity to Russia's significant investment in animation and its historical strategy of using children's content to promote narratives.