Russia Sanctions Peppa Pig

Russia has targeted Peppa Pig in response to Western sanctions amid its invasion of Ukraine.

President Vladimir Putin's 'special military operation' is now in its 18th day. More than two million people have fled Ukraine, with the UN describing it as the fastest-growing refugee crisis since the Second World War, while civilian casualties continue to mount with Russian airstrikes.

The UK, US and EU have imposed wide-ranging sanctions on Russia, including but not limited to: a ban on all Russian oil and gas imports; freezing the assets of Russia's central bank, while also honing in on oligarchs close to the Kremlin; and restrictions on imports, exports and international travel.

Vladimir Putin (Alamy)

Russia is also facing the economic point of no return with regards to the value of the ruble, with Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska warning the crisis will echo 1998, but 'three times worse and will last three years'.

Russia has retaliated: ruble loans and credits to 'persons of foreign states who commit unfriendly actions' have been banned, bar a few limited circumstances; legalising piracy is reportedly being considered; and a Russian court has now ruled that businesses can use Peppa Pig's trademarks without permission nor consequence.

Peppa Pig has been targeted by Russia. (Entertainment One)

Entertainment One, which acquired the rights to the character in 2019 for $3.8 billion, claimed it was owned 40,000 rubles (now the equivalent of £320 amid the currency's plummeting value) after a Russian entrepreneur drew his own versions of Peppa Pig, Sky News reports.

However, ruling in a provincial arbitration court in Kirov, Judge Andrei Slavinsky dismissed the case, citing the 'restrictive' sanctions imposed on Russia as just cause for infringing copyright, and the 'unfriendly actions of the United States of America and affiliated foreign countries'.

The Russian government has since issued a decree permitting people and businesses to use patented inventions and industrial designs from 'unfriendly countries' without permission or compensation.

Putin has found few friends since his invasion of Ukraine (Alamy)

This also comes after Russia published a list of countries it deems 'unfriendly', including the UK, US, EU, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, Switzerland and Japan, among others.

While other brands have severed ties with Russia - including Apple, McDonald's, IKEA and movie studios pulling major releases - the Peppa Pig ruling has sparked concerns that local operators may rebel against their company's orders and continue business regardless.

The Russian Ministry of Economic Development also confirmed it was considering legalising piracy earlier this week. 'The possibility of lifting restrictions on the use of intellectual property contained in certain goods, the supply of which to Russia is limited, is being considered,' a statement read, as per IGN.

'This will smooth out the impact on the market of breaks in supply chains, as well as the shortage of goods and services that arose due to new sanctions by Western countries.'

If you would like to donate to the Red Cross Emergency Appeal, which will help provide food, medicines and basic medical supplies, shelter and water to those in Ukraine, click here for more information