Putin’s regime condemned for using ‘horrendous’ animal circus to entertain Ukrainian war orphans in Mariupol
The Kremlin has been condemned for using a “horrendous” animal circus to entertain Ukrainian orphans in Mariupol a year after Russia killed around 600 people in a bomb attack on the city’s theatre.
Propaganda films show beavers, bears and bison doing tricks. State news agencies claimed it brought residents “happiness, love and joy” in “difficult times”.
Mariupol was taken after a three-month battle that reduced it to rubble.
Videos show a bear dancing with a hoop at the Russian state circus, a beaver flying on a trapeze while urinating in apparent distress, and beavers pulling a car of ducks.
Marie Struthers of Amnesty International said: ‘There is something grotesque about the Russian authorities using a circus to try to normalize their occupation.
Propaganda films show beavers, bears and bison playing tricks on Ukrainian war orphans
Videos show a bear dancing with a hoop at the Russian state circus and a beaver flying on a trapeze while urinating in apparent distress
Dr Colin Alexander, a political communications expert at Nottingham Trent University, said the propaganda deliberately included orphaned children as part of a strategy to “appease” Ukrainians.
Tory MP Alicia Kearns, of the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, said: ‘The Kremlin is murdering children at night and making them watch clowns by day.
