News
Russian pro-war channels are sharing a video that depicts Santa Claus flying over Red Square in his sleigh before being shot down by an air defense missile, as reported by the Telegram channel Ostorozhno, Novosti earlier today.
At the end of the video, Father Frost (Ded Moroz) — Russia’s equivalent of Santa Claus — appears alongside an air defense operator, who says, “Target destroyed.” Father Frost then adds, “Good. We don’t need anything foreign in our skies. Happy New Year!”
The creators of the video remain unidentified, but Ostorozhno, Novosti discovered that the air defense operator was played by Russian actor Dmitry Melnikov, known for his roles in TV series, films, and advertising campaigns. Speaking to journalists, Melnikov confirmed his involvement but declined to name the clients, citing a non-disclosure agreement.
The release of the clip coincided with the crash of a passenger plane in Aktau in southwest Kazakhstan. Reuters and Euronews, citing sources in the Azerbaijani government, have reported that a Russian air defense missile targeted Flight 8243 amid drone activity over Grozny, the capital of Chechnya.
According to Melnikov, the video was filmed before the month of December and had no connection to the crash in Aktau.
“I’ve been incredibly busy with filming. I released my short film just a week ago, which also deals with the theme of a plane crash involving my wife and child while landing at an airport. So, am I Nostradamus or something? Who could foresee such events?” the actor said.