Santa Claus Shot Down by Russian Air Defense in Bizarre Propaganda Video

In Russia, a propaganda video depicted Santa Claus being shot down by Russian air defense systems over the Kremlin.

Multiple Russian Telegram channels started sharing this video on December 27, including Pool N3, and Ostorozhno Novosti.

The footage shows Santa Claus flying over Red Square in his sleigh before being taken down by Russian air defense systems. His sleigh was carrying missiles marked with NATO emblems, and he was speaking in English and Coca-Cola.

Following this, Russia’s Ded Moroz , accompanied by an air defense operator, declares: “Target eliminated. We don’t need anything foreign in our skies. Happy New Year!”

Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation commented on the video, stating “Russian paranoia about the ‘NATO threat’ has reached new heights. Russian propagandists have released a ‘social video’ depicting Santa Claus being shot down by Russian air defenses near the Kremlin.“

Ostorozhno Novosti reported identifying the actor who played the role of the air defense operator in the video. His name is Dmitry Melnikov, known for his roles in TV series, films, and commercials. Speaking to the outlet, Melnikov stated that he could not disclose the creators of the video due to a non-disclosure agreement.

According to Melnikov, the ad is unrelated to the Aktau plane crash, as it was filmed before December and likely only recently released online.

It is worth noting that the video was released shortly after the Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash en route from Baku to Grozny. The aircraft went down on December 25 near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan, claiming the lives of 38 people.

In the beginning of December, it was reported that Russian occupying authorities in the Donetsk region are running anti-Western propaganda campaigns, aiming to influence the youth through lectures that warn against the alleged dangers of European and American "freedom" narratives portrayed in Western cinema.