Support The Moscow Times!

Russian Actress Criticizes Famous Father’s Support of Ukraine War

Actress Masha Mashkova. Vadim Tarakanov / TASS

A Russian actress has criticized her well-known actor father’s support for the war against Ukraine, in a high-profile example of how the war has split many Russian families.

Vladimir Mashkov spoke at Friday’s massive rally marking the eighth anniversary of Russia’s annexation of Crimea and supporting Russia’s “special military operation” in Ukraine. 

“We are Russian people. We love our country. We are for a world without Nazism. We are for our army. For our president,” Mashkov said at the rally at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium, where President Vladimir Putin also spoke.

Mashkov’s daughter Masha Mashkova, who is also an actress, spoke out against his comments days later. 

“What's happening right now is just unthinkable ... and the fact that so many Russian people, including my dad, believe that this violence is somehow justified — it breaks my heart," Mashkova told CNN on Monday. 

"It's nothing compared to what Ukrainian people experience now, dying." 

Mashkova, who lives in the United States with her family, said that she has many friends and colleagues in Ukraine and that they never hated her for being Russian or asked to be “saved” by the Russian president.

During the televised interview, a CNN anchor asked Mashkova whether she believes that millions of Russians have no idea what’s really happening in Ukraine because of the Kremlin’s propaganda machine.  

"I talked on the phone with my dad yesterday and now I do believe that unfortunately, yes," Mashkova replied. 

The Russian state narrative of Putin’s “special military operation” states that its troops are in Ukraine to rid the country of Nazism and protect ethnic Russians in eastern Ukraine from “genocide.” 

This narrative has largely taken hold among older generations who mainly get their news from state television. Younger generations, in contrast, are more likely to oppose the war, as they get their information about the war online, where footage of Russia’s offensives on Ukrainian cities is well-documented.  

The result has been a stark divide in opinions among many Russian families.

While Mashkov — who is best known to Western audiences for his roles in “Behind Enemy Lines” and “Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol” — has backed Russia’s campaign in Ukraine, a number of Russian cultural figures have publicly criticized it, including prominent rock artist Zemfira, and rapper Morgenshtern.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more