Russian war veterans have identified a new enemy: Turkish soap operas. They say that romantic series make Russian men appear less attractive in the eyes of women. The Russian Veterans Organization is calling for a ban on these productions, accusing them of stimulating Russian women to migrate to Turkey.
The petition has reached the authorities, where some politicians have supported it, but for a different reason, namely that it would falsify history.
Meanwhile, a deputy suggests the ultimate solution: to produce soap operas in which Russian men are more charming than Turkish men. Until then, "Love is in the Air" remains among the most watched series in Russia.
Russian veterans declare war on Turkish soap operas
The Russian Veterans Organization is calling for the ban of Turkish soap operas, arguing that they promote an idealized image of men, which affects women's perception of Russian men and contributes to the demographic crisis. They claim that women are losing interest in Russian men, as reported by EFE.
"These soap operas create an idealized image of men, which negatively influences the perception of Russian men, contributing to the demographic crisis, as Russian women lose interest in compatriots and travel to Turkey, leading to many tragedies," said the organization's director, loyal to the Kremlin, Ildar Reziapov, in a press release.
The petition was addressed to the Ministry of Culture, Roskomnadzor (the Russian federal agency responsible for monitoring, controlling, and censoring Russian media), and the Parliament.
It received support, but not for the initially stated reasons. Deputy Vitali Milonov supported the ban on Turkish series, but for historical reasons, stating that they "falsify reality" about the Ottoman Empire, presenting more romantic stories than violence and conflicts.
"The most important reason is that Turkish TV series falsify history a lot, because when they make movies about the Ottoman Empire, Turkish authors fill them with pseudo-romantic relationships instead of violence and death," said Deputy Vitali Milonov to a Russian publication.
A deputy came up with the ultimate solution: movies with more handsome Russians
In an ironic note, Deputy Sardana Avksentieva proposed an alternative solution: producing series in which Russian men are more attractive than Turkish men.
Meanwhile, Turkish soap operas continue to be extremely popular in Russia, with one of the most watched being "Love is in the Air."
Regardless of the authorities' position, the success of these series seems to pose a serious challenge to the image of Russian masculinity.