Russian propaganda has plunged to new depths with a video showing Father Christmas blown up by Vladimir Putin’s air defences as he flies in his sleigh over the Kremlin. A huge explosion is seen as ‘Western’ Santa and his sleigh are destroyed. The sick scene comes after Russian air defences are widely believed to have shot at a passenger plane on Christmas Day, leading to an air crash in which 38 people were killed.
Putin has so far failed to take responsibility for the downing of the Azerbaijan Airlines flight, which crashed in Aktau, Kazakhstan after flying over the Caspian Sea with the pilots losing control of the stricken aircraft. The social media video from the Putin propaganda machine comes ahead of New Year when traditionally the Russian Santa - known as white-bearded Grandfather Frost, dressed in red or blue - visits children with gifts, but never travelling in a reindeer-pulled sleigh.
The video’s anti-Western theme has Father Christmas drinking Coca-Cola and in his sleigh are NATO missiles. “Hey Russians, here are your presents, Happy New Year,” he says. Grandfather Frost is seen sitting next to an air defences operator as the button is pressed to shoot and destroy the ‘enemy’ Santa. The Russian Santa, in blue, asks: “That’s it?”.
