The large effigy was set ablaze during Maslenitsa, a traditional Slavic festival that precedes Orthodox Lent
A large Labubu-inspired effigy was burned at a park in western Russia on Saturday as part of Maslenitsa, a traditional spring festival celebrated across the country.
Maslenitsa is a Slavic folk holiday held in the week before Orthodox Lent, marked by public festivities and the eating of pancakes. The celebration preserves elements of its pre-Christian roots, including the ritual burning of an effigy to symbolize the end of winter.
At Argamach Park in Lipetsk Region, this year’s festivities culminated in the burning of a large monster-like effigy with sharp teeth resembling Labubu, a line of small dolls that has gained global popularity in recent years. In previous years, the park burned effigies of fictional characters including Voldemort from the Harry Potter series, the Night King from Game of Thrones, and horror film villain Freddy Krueger.
According to Aleksandr Galatvin, the festival organizer, the Labubu was chosen to “logically continue” the lineup of villains burned in the past.
“Our idea is that we are combating… the unconventional influence of various Western, Eastern, and other cultures that are eroding traditional Russian culture,” he said, adding that he is both “popularizing” the characters and burning them.
READ MORE: Russians spending millions on Labubus – TASS
The decision to use a giant, bloody-mouthed Labubu as this year’s effigy sparked debate on social media. Some users welcomed the choice; others argued that using a character associated with children’s toys is inappropriate. Russians spent around $17.6 million on Labubu dolls in 2025, according to e-commerce sales data cited by local media.
The Nikola-Lenivets park in Kaluga Region celebrated Maslenitsa by burning a 25-meter-tall heart installation. It was a nod to Soviet writer Maxim Gorky’s short story Old Izergil, in which the main character, Danko, tears his own burning heart out of his chest to light the way for a lost community of people.
Maslenitsa celebrations took place across Russia on Saturday, welcoming spring after an unusually cold and snowy winter.
February 22, 2026 at 02:42AM
RT