Russia has sanctioned Peppa Pig and Daddy Pig in retaliation to British sanctions related to the Ukrainian invasion. The implausible action came after a court determined that trademarks for the world-famous characters might be infringed upon in punishment for British sanctions against Russia. Judge Andrei Slavinsky of a provincial arbitration court in Kirov, western Russia, handed down the decision.
This is the first step toward widespread infringement of Western brands and copyrights. Slavinsky argued that the court’s refusal of infringement allegations brought forward by Entertainment One UK Ltd was due to “restrictive” political and economic sanctions imposed by the West. In Russia, the court ruling links the Peppa Pig and Daddy Pig infringement claim to “unfriendly actions of the United States of America and affiliated foreign countries”, according to legal documents from the Kirov case.
Sanctions against Russia allow the court not to protect the UK company’s trademark rights, said the judge amid suspicion that the case has been seized on by the authorities in Moscow as a weapon against Western sanctions.
Several large corporations cut connections with Russia
The obscure case was against entrepreneur Ivan Kozhevnikov to conserve trademark rights for drawings of popular children’s cartoon characters. The judge was well aware of the subtleties of the most recent sanctions developments during the hearing. Due to the collapse of Putin’s rouble currency as a result of the war in Ukraine, the value was £230 at the time of the case hearing. The decision may be retaliation for Western patent bodies cutting connections with Russia as a result of the Ukraine crisis. In the past, the firm had been successful in Russia with its claims.
Moreover, the Russian government has dictated a rule allowing “unfriendly countries”. It is about the use of safe innovations and industrial designs without permission or compensation. The United Kingdom, the United States, Ukraine, Japan, and 16 more countries are on this list of unfriendly countries. However, several large corporations have cut connections with Russia. It includes Apple, which has halted product sales in the country. IKEA, which has closed its stores; and Disney, which has canceled movie releases.
However, McDonald’s has shut all of its locations in Russia after criticism for not acting sooner. Some campaigners are threatening to boycott the fast-food business. The Peppa Pig decision has certainly raised fears that Moscow will legalize trademark theft on a larger scale.
