At a recent session of the State Duma, lawmakers were debating changes to funding for the «Native Toy» competition when an unexpected claim appeared.
One deputy said that the popular Soviet character Cheburashka was «Jewish,» arguing that Israel was supposedly the only country sending oranges to the USSR when the original animated film was made.
Cheburashka first appeared in a book by Eduard Uspensky and later became famous through the Soyuzmultfilm cartoon series.
During the discussion, deputies also mentioned concerns about modern collectible toys, including the popular figure Labubu, which has recently drawn attention from Russian officials. The proposed amendment would set clearer rules for which toys can take part in state-funded competitions and is likely to spark more public debate in the coming weeks.
