“The meerkats are fictional characters. They have no association with Russia and the current situation.”
Price comparison website Compare The Market has removed advertisements featuring the animated character of Russian meerkat Aleksandr Orlov following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
In a statement released on Monday (28 February), the company confirmed that ads featuring the character of Orlov will not feature in connection with any content related to the ongoing invasion, including news bulletins.
“The Comparethemarket meerkats are fictional characters,” noted a spokesperson to the Guardian.
“They have no association with Russia and the current situation. We are continually reviewing our advertising to ensure we’re being sensitive to the current situation.”
The advertisements featuring Orlov and other meerkats first aired in 2009, proving such a pop culture staple that Orlov’s catchphrase of “Simples” was officially recognised by the Collins English Dictionary in 2010.
The move follows on from the likes of UEFA stripping Saint Petersburg as the venue for the Champions League final, the Football Association of Ireland declaring that Ireland will not play against Russia at any level until further notice, and general increasing pressure on brands and advertising authorities to boycott Russia.
In other news, Simon Coveney has said that it would “not be wise” to expel Yury Anatoliyevich Filatov, the Russian ambassador to Ireland.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs answered questions about the possible expulsion on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland on Monday.
“I can totally understand the anger and the sentiment behind that,” Coveney said.
“So many people have texted me to say ‘for God’s sake, why aren’t you expelling the Russian ambassador and the rest of his team?’
“My job as a foreign minister is to try and think ahead here. We are going to have Irish citizens, hundreds of them, living and working in Russia.
“We have many Irish citizens still in Ukraine too. I need to make sure we have lines of communication open so that I can help those people and do my job.
“Even if you fundamentally disagree with someone, as we do with Russia right now, and you’re trying to hold them to account as we are trying right now, you still need to keep lines of communication open,” Coveney continued.
“Does that mean that we won’t be expelling some Russian diplomats and some operatives that are not diplomats in the next few days? No, it doesn’t, we may well do that.
“I don’t think it’s wise for us to expel the Russian ambassador and to have no Russian presence in Ireland to allow us to have a direct line with Moscow and let them know what the Irish view very directly is in terms of Russian actions.”
Filatov came under fire following an attempt to justify Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in a tense interview with David McCullagh on RTÉ’s Six One News on Friday (25 February).
That interview, which quickly went viral across the world, saw McCullagh sign off by labelling Filatov “an apologist for slaughter”.
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