January 30, 2026

Cheburlandia ~ Word of the Month


Cheburlandia ~ Word of the Month
Portion of a New Year's card featuring Cheburashka.

This is the first in a new monthly language column that will take the reins over from our long-running Survival Russian column in the magazine. Each month will focus on a word or phrase trending in Russian culture and society.


Чебурашка (Cheburashka), a character from a Soviet cartoon hit filmed in the late 1960s, was unlucky enough to be chosen as a symbol of Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Participants in the so-called Special Military Operation (SVO in Russian) take knitted Cheburashka figures with them as talismans, sew on chevrons with his image, and even use the gruesome word “zacheburashivanie” (зачебурашивание - making someone to look like Cheburashka/be Сheburashka) as a synonym for “victory”.

All of this is not only disgusting, but also absurd and extremely sad, because the cartoon character is the complete opposite of belligerence and militarism - he is known for his huge, helpless ears, gentle voice, and tireless desire to find as many friends as possible. 

A table in a flea market showing items for sale.
A Tyumen flea market in 2023, showing the militarization of Cheburashka / RG72

Cheburashka has always been beloved and popular, but in recent years he has increasingly appeared in the public sphere, usually in connection with outbreaks of unhealthy patriotism. In May 2025, a scandal erupted over “chebubu”, the nickname given to a version of the popular Japanese toy “labubu” that Russian companies began producing in something resembling a Cheburashka-like character. Upon learning of this, State Duma deputies demanded that Chebubu be immediately banned, as it is unacceptable to desecrate national treasures with bad toys that “promote destructive aesthetics and alien spiritual and moral values.” (But apparently it is not unacceptable to desecrate national treasures by using toys to glorify militarism...)

And in January 2026, a member of the Federation Council Committee on Culture proposed opening a Russian version of Disneyland called Чебурляндия (Cheburlandia).   

Such statements are usually just a good way to provoke hype, and perhaps the senator himself is well aware that the word Cheburlandia looks and sounds comical. On the one hand, it rhymes with various derogatory names for Russia, among which “Orkolandia” is popular, for example. On the other hand, it is on par with the popular word “Cheburnet” – a mocking name for the Russian national internet – a closed, censored space where only Russian messengers and approved websites are available, cheburashing Russians with propaganda. 

You Might Also Like

Moving Pictures
  • November 01, 2003

Moving Pictures

The masters of Russian and Soviet animation rank among the world's greatest artists of the genre. But not many outside the industry know their names or have ever seen their work.
Cheburashka in the Fog
  • July 01, 2021

Cheburashka in the Fog

Just a little over a year ago, Russia was rocked by revelations that one of its most venerated authors of childrens’ fiction subjected his daughter to abuse in a cult.
Making a Meme
  • March 01, 2017

Making a Meme

The Zhdun meme took Russia by storm this winter. We investigate.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

White Magic
June 01, 2021

White Magic

The thirteen tales in this volume – all written by Russian émigrés, writers who fled their native country in the early twentieth century – contain a fair dose of magic and mysticism, of terror and the supernatural. There are Petersburg revenants, grief-stricken avengers, Lithuanian vampires, flying skeletons, murders and duels, and even a ghostly Edgar Allen Poe.

Woe From Wit (bilingual)
June 20, 2017

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.

At the Circus
January 01, 2013

At the Circus

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.

The Little Humpbacked Horse
November 03, 2014

The Little Humpbacked Horse

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.

Fearful Majesty
July 01, 2014

Fearful Majesty

This acclaimed biography of one of Russia’s most important and tyrannical rulers is not only a rich, readable biography, it is also surprisingly timely, revealing how many of the issues Russia faces today have their roots in Ivan’s reign.

Little Golden Calf
February 01, 2010

Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.

The Latchkey Murders
July 01, 2015

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...

The Moscow Eccentric
December 01, 2016

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955