Russia’s Sputnik news agency has released a New Year video portraying President Vladimir Putin as Santa Claus handing out symbolic gifts to world leaders, drawing wide attention for its political messaging, Azernews reports.
The video opens with Putin dressed as Santa Claus, carrying a sack of presents as an instrumental version of "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" plays. Among the first scenes, former U.S. President Donald Trump is shown smiling as he unwraps a framed photograph of himself with Putin from their widely criticized summit in Alaska earlier this year.
In the animated clip, Chinese President Xi Jinping receives Christmas ornaments shaped like the ruble and yuan. As the ornaments are hung on a Christmas tree, a dollar-shaped decoration is shown falling and shattering. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is depicted receiving a figurine of a Russian stealth fighter jet, while Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is shown holding a snow globe featuring the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is presented with a DJ set playing a message calling for peace, while North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is shown receiving a sword accompanied by a note reading "From Russia, with gratitude." Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is depicted holding a gift card for Russia’s state-owned energy company Gazprom.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is portrayed receiving handcuffs and is later shown behind bars, a scene that has drawn particular criticism.
The release of the video comes amid Russia’s continued escalation of the war in Ukraine and follows recent statements by U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff that Moscow is "fully committed" to achieving peace.
