Netflix has removed the Russian animated series Masha and the Bear from its Ukrainian offer, following recent Ukrainian sanctions against the creators and distributors of the show.

The removal was announced by Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, chairman of Ukraine’s Parliamentary Committee on Freedom of Speech. He said the decision was an important first step, but stressed that its implementation would also be significant.

According to Yurchyshyn, the Ukrainian version was removed following a recent meeting in France between Tetiana Berezhna, Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister for Humanitarian Policy and Minister of Culture, and Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos.

Berezhna said Ukraine had asked international streaming platforms to remove the Ukrainian adaptation of the animated series. During the meeting, Sarandos assured her that the Ukrainian version of Masha and the Bear was no longer available to Netflix users worldwide.

The move follows sanctions introduced by Ukraine against individuals and organizations involved in the production and distribution of the series. On August 20, 2026, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a decree implementing National Security and Defense Council sanctions against five Russian individuals and four organizations connected with the animated series.

According to the President's Office, the sanctions target entities involved in a show that allegedly promotes pro-Russian narratives under the guise of children's entertainment and poses a threat to Ukraine's national security.

Following the sanctions, YouTube blocked three Masha and the Bear channels in Ukraine: the Russian-, Ukrainian- and English-language channels.

The Ukrainian-language version of the series had previously become particularly popular in the country. In August 2025, Ukrainian media outlet Detector Media reported that the Ukrainian-language Masha and the Bear YouTube channel ranked first among the 20 most popular children's channels registered in Ukraine.

The report prompted public discussion and was followed by Yurchyshyn's appeal to Ukraine's National Police. The police subsequently confirmed links between Masha and the Bear and Russia and called for sanctions against the series. Ukraine's Ministry of Culture also supported restrictions against the Russian animated production.