Russia has released a propaganda video showing Moscow’s defence systems destroying Santa Claus and his reindeer, as reported by Daily Mail.
The report further said that the xhas not commented on allegations that it was responsible for the deaths of 38 people after shooting down an Azerbaijani passenger plane.
The propaganda video, shared on pro-Russian Telegram channels, depicts a ‘Western’ Santa Claus flying over a snowy Moscow while holding a Coca-Cola can and wishing Russian citizens a Merry Christmas.
His sleigh carries missiles resembling NATO’s Trident or Minuteman III ICBMs. However, within moments, he is struck by a festive missile that leaves behind a firework, Daily Mail reported.
Watch the video here:
The video then cuts to a missile operator sitting next to Grandfather Frost, the Russian counterpart to Santa Claus. When Grandfather Frost asks, “That’s it?” the operator responds, “That’s it, the target has been destroyed.”
Grandfather Frost adds, “Right, we don’t need anything foreign in our skies. Happy New Year!” The video was released just two days after Russia was accused of downing an Azerbaijani Airlines plane, resulting in the deaths of 38 people.
According to a report by the Associated Press, Russia has denied any involvement, but in 2022, a Dutch court convicted two Russians and a pro-Russian Ukrainian for their part in downing the plane using an air defence system brought into Ukraine from a Russian military base.
Azerbaijani investigators are currently working in Grozny as part of the investigation into Wednesday’s crash, according to a statement from the Azerbaijani Prosecutor General’s office, AP reported.
After suspending flights from Baku to Grozny and Makhachkala on Wednesday, Azerbaijan Airlines announced on Friday that it would also suspend services to eight other Russian cities.
Kazakhstan’s Qazaq Air announced on Friday that it would suspend flights from Astana to Yekaterinburg, a city in the Ural Mountains, for a month.
FlyDubai also halted flights to Sochi and Mineralnye Vody in southern Russia for the next few days.
The day prior, Israel’s El Al airline suspended flights from Tel Aviv to Moscow, citing “developments in Russia’s airspace.” The airline stated it would reassess the situation next week.