Russia's Ministry of Education has officially denied reports claiming pupils nationwide will face mandatory school screenings of the film Kolobok.
The ministry issued a statement on its Telegram channel confirming that no government regulations or orders exist to compel schools to organize mass cinema visits for students.
The rumor originated following an August 10, 2026 post by a satirical Telegram channel named Imperiya Ochen Zla. The post alleged that under a Ministry of Education directive, pupils in grades one through nine across Russia would attend organized screenings of the feature film The Last Warrior: Kolobok for one month starting September 1, 2026.
The Last Warrior: Kolobok is a Russian fantasy film based on the traditional Slavic folklore character Kolobok, a legendary animated round loaf of bread.
Satirical origin of the screening claim
To make the announcement appear authentic, the satirical channel included a fabricated quote attributed to former official Tatyana Vasilyeva. According to the post, Vasilyeva claimed the motion picture would help children comprehend fundamental moral concepts such as friendship, courage, and resisting evil through familiar cultural imagery.
However, Vasilyeva no longer serves as a deputy minister of education. Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin officially relieved her of her post in 2024. Her name does not appear on the list of active deputy ministers published on the official website of the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation.
The Telegram channel Imperiya Ochen Zla regularly publishes fictional posts satirizing current Russian social and political events. The channel includes an explicit disclaimer in its profile description, warning users that content may contain fakes and harsh satire, and stating that published items are artistic fiction where any coincidences are purely accidental.
Ministry denial and former official reference
In its official statement published on Telegram, the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation addressed the social media reports directly. The ministry stated that information regarding mandatory viewings of the film Kolobok for students in grades one through nine does not correspond to reality.
Official representatives emphasized that the ministry has not published any administrative or regulatory documents requiring educational organizations to conduct mass screenings of the film.
Authorities also urged citizens to verify news stories carefully, advising the public to rely exclusively on official information sources.
Media reaction and fact checking involvement
Following the satirical channel's post, several Russian-language media outlets mistakenly reported the story as genuine news, claiming that Russian school pupils would be taken to watch the film.
However, the majority of news outlets published accurate coverage by incorporating the official statement and commentary from the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation.
The original reporting on the false screening directive was prepared with participation from Lapsha Media, a fact-checking resource dedicated to countering fake news and online misinformation.
