Vitaly Borodin, a prominent pro-Kremlin activist, has called on Russian authorities to designate Santa Claus as a “foreign agent,” arguing the Western holiday figure undermines traditional Russian values.

In a letter addressed to the Prosecutor General, and quoted by The New Times, Borodin claimed that Santa’s rising popularity in Russia jeopardises Father Frost (Ded Moroz), the cultural figure central to Russia’s New Year’s celebrations. Father Frost, depicted as hailing from Veliky Ustyug in Vologda Oblast, is traditionally accompanied by his granddaughter and helper, Snegurochka. He was a key figure during the Soviet era, embodying the New Year spirit. However, since the fall of the Soviet Union and the spread of Western culture with capitalism, Santa Claus has become increasingly prominent, particularly in advertising.

Borodin, highlighting the $1.6 trillion global value of Santa Claus trademarks, expressed concern that international corporations could exploit his image to erode Russian cultural norms.

“There is a high probability that foreign companies might fund the image of Santa in Russia to undermine traditional Russian values,” Borodin stated.

He further suggested that the phenomenon is part of a broader strategy aimed at replacing domestic traditions with foreign symbols.

This campaign aligns with similar initiatives by other officials. Mikhail Ivanov, a regional legislator, recently advocated for the removal of Santa Claus figurines from store shelves in favour of Russian holiday symbols. Ivanov criticised Santa Claus as a commercialised figure disconnected from the spiritual essence of Christmas, describing his prominence in Russian storefronts as emblematic of aggressive marketing.

Borodin is well-known in Russia for filing politically charged police reports targeting independent media, celebrities and Kremlin critics. His previous complaints have implicated figures such as singer Alla Pugacheva, former presidential hopeful Boris Nadezhdin, and organisations like the investigative news outlet Proekt.