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Chinese newspaper mocks sanctions on Russian cats

This article is more than 12 months old

It’s not just athletes and artists from Russia who can’t compete or perform internationally, now cats have been barred too.

Among the governments, organisations and companies announcing restrictions on dealings with Russia, following its invasion of Ukraine, is the International Cat Federation.

And among the newspapers reporting this was China’s Global Times.

“Toothless Western drama queens sanction Russian cats, ridiculous beyond imagination,” was the headline of an opinion piece on its website on Friday (March 4).

It also said that a university in Italy had decided to remove courses on Fyodor Dostoevsky, the great 19th century Russian author, and that the Munich Philharmonic had fired its chief conductor, the Russian maestro Valery Gergiev, for not denouncing the invasion.

“Why cats, arts and sports? What can they possibly do wrong: Attack a country or beat the drum of war?”

Instead of trying to resolve the issue “irrelevant elements are picked up, politicised and even weaponised”, the article argued.

Earlier Global Times had reported that Chinese netizens were shocked by the Cat Federation’s move.

"I thought it was fake news," it quoted one comment as saying.

And another: "Does the north wind that blows across Russia to the EU count as Russian wind? Insane."

The federation said in a statement that Ukrainians were desperately trying to take care of their cats and other animals.

It would no longer register any cat from Russia or allow one to participate in its shows.

It said a part of its budget would be set aside to support cat breeders and enthusiasts in Ukraine.

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