Yes, it’s real.

According to A recent report in Moscow TimesRussian legislators have targeted Shrek, the OGRE, for potential censorship after being considered a “destructive impact” on Russian children. Shrek was a monstrous character introduced for the first time in the 1990 Image Book “Shrek!” by William Steig. The book was adapted in a satirical feature film in 2001, modifying the story of Steig into an anti-Disney story sharp on the fairy tale characters who become victims of forced relocation. Shrek, expressed by Mike Myers, was the forced anti-hero to perform heroic tasks in order to get other fairy tale creatures out of his court. “Shrek” was a huge success and caused a massive media franchise that remains active to date; “Shrek 5” is due in theaters in 2026.

We can watch a video Superiors in the Russian government with a brainstorming / slideshow session on the influence of the world’s media on the Russian population, and hear their lively criticism. Shrek was only one of the many characters who, according to them, could be a bad influence. “They do not seem bad,” said the deputy for the state of Duma, Yana Lantratova, on one of their specialized slides, “but they have physical and personality faults. […] Little by little, with the infiltration of Western culture, the characters began to appear which embodied negative features but were raised to the status of positive characters. The image of the purely positive character began to fade. “”

It does not matter that Shrek learns to be a more noble character at the end of his film, or that he is transformed by a vicious misanthrope in a romantic advance. The fact that he had negative features was sufficient to make Russia suspect. Yes, Russia thinks Shrek is a bad model. The same slideshow also showed the Grinch and Mike Wazowski of “Monsters, Inc.” as having similar negative qualities.

But this is not the only reason why Russia goes after American Kiddie Entertainment. Naturally, it is much more insidious.

The Moscow Times report quoted Sergei Mironov, one of the leaders of the nation minority political parties, as accusing America and the Western world in general as putting what he called a “hybrid war” against Russia. He said other countries deliberately tried to influence Russian children to accept anti-Russian attitudes. “Unfortunately,” he said. “”[certain countries] are very actively engaged in the indoctrination of our children. “Mironov belongs – and was previously the leader of – a group called Russia just, a political enclave that supported the policy of the president of Russia, Vladimir Putin (For more context on Putin, consult the Oscar -winning documentary, “Navalny”).

According to the report, “a legal gray area prevents Russian authorities from blocking Western content for children”, “Shrek” is therefore not really prohibited in this country at the moment. Attacing Shrek, however, seems to be a way to comply with Putin’s calls to put pressure for “more traditional” and “pro-family” policies, two sentences frequently associated with oppression and censorship. These thrusts, According to a Metro UK reportCome at the same time as Putin campaign to encourage Russian women to have more children. Any type of media that is seen to encourage women to not Children could have met heavy fines of up to $ 46,000 (if the offender is a large entertainment company). But even individuals could be slapped with a fine.

(In particular, the Russian government has banned queer films and television shows because The country has judged that the “LGBT international movement” as an “extremist organization”.))

But what does Russia really continue with “Shrek?” Of course, they mentioned that he is not an ideal character, and Shrek is certainly misanthropic, but marrying unhealthy values? The first “Shrek”, with its controversial Scottish heritagemainly works as a sending of the overwhelming cultural outfit of Disney on certain European fairy tales. This is a film in which a princess sings to a bird (just like the versions of Disney of Snow White, Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty did it), but it sings so high that the bird explodes. The princess (played by Cameron Diaz) expects to be treated like Snow White or Sleeping Beauty, but is upset to find that her rescuer is a large green ogre with green skin who does not care to be a hero. It is a comic antidote to bland -face -to -face novels with boring princes of charming Disney.

Shrek himself, while grumpy and angry, finally finished, falling in love with Fiona. He struggles with his self -image, feeling that the woman cannot fall in love with ugly ogres. It will finally be revealed that Fiona is under a curse and admits that she too fell in love with him, finally taking the form of an ogre herself. History concerns romance, self -acceptance and unconventional couples who do not integrate into the traditional Disney mold. Donkey (Eddie Murpoy) falls in love with a dragon. Shrek is, ultimately, a little noble.

It is possible that the naughty selfish and eager for the film’s power, Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow), really the target of the prohibitions of Russia. Farquaad is represented as a cruel dictator who prohibits the magic creatures of his kingdom and who uses strength and manipulation to get what he wants. He is not sure of his size, whining, bad and pathetic. He only wants power. He has no good qualities. And yet, he is the man in charge, calling for gunshots and promoting prohibitions. Perhaps the real men in charge, eager to deport people from their country, see too many themselves in Farquaad.