(This January 7 story has been republished without any changes to the text)
MOSCOW, Jan 7 (Reuters) – Russian President Vladimir Putin made a cameo appearance in a popular Russian children’s cartoon, teaming up with a talking cat and dog to deliver a New Year’s message to the nation.
Residents of Prostokvashino were shocked when an animated version of the Kremlin leader, accompanied by dog ​​Sharik and cat Matroskin, greeted Russians on the occasion of the New Year.
Reviews from adults who accompanied children at the Prostokvashino theme park in Moscow were cautiously positive.
“Look, I don’t know. I think anything can happen in cartoons. Why not?” said a woman named Marina.
Another visitor, Oksana Frolkova, said children knew who Putin was and seeing him in the cartoon “could be important and interesting for them”. She said it might also interest audiences abroad.
Last year, Soyuzmultfilm studio board chairwoman Yuliana Slashcheva followed Putin’s cameo by saying Russia sells its cartoons to former communist and Middle Eastern countries and is seeking to expand its influence in China.
She said the president’s appearance in Prostokvashino would be a “soft power” that would help promote Russia and its culture.
(Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Mark Trevelyan; Editing by Aidan Lewis)
