President Putin Receives Siberian Cat Gift, Japan's Akita Governor Criticizes Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine

Siberian cat illustration. (Wikimedia Commons/Spartan7W)

JAKARTA - Who would have thought, apart from humans and property, cats were also affected by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with cats from that country banned from participating in international activities, while recipients of President Putin's prize made strong criticisms.

The governor of Japan's northeastern Akita Prefecture, who has a Siberian cat, a gift from Russian President Vladimir Putin, criticized last week's invasion of Ukraine.

The cat named Mir, which means 'peace' in Russian, is "very affectionate, unlike President Putin", Governor Norihisa Satake told reporters, adding, "This is very ironic", according to Kyodo News March 7.

"It's very dangerous also from a humanitarian point of view", Satake, who has kept the cat since 2013, said of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. "I think this is a war for President Putin to protect his status."

It is known that Akita Prefecture gave President Putin, who is known to be very fond of dogs, an Akita dog in 2012 as a thank you to Russia for its assistance after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in northeastern Japan. Governor Satake, known for his love of cats, was rewarded with Mir in return.

Illustration of a Russian cat. (Wikimedia Commons/Kabir Bakie)

Separately, the International Cat Federation (FIFE) has banned Russian cats from its shows over Russia's invasion of Ukraine, news site Znak.com reports. The Federation posted a statement on its website announcing that it has sanctioned all cat owners living in Russia for exhibiting their cats at FIFE shows abroad", the organization wrote in a statement, citing The Moscow Times.

"We can all witness the devastation and chaos caused by this unprecedented act of aggression. In addition, our fellow Ukrainian cat breeders are desperately trying to care for their cats and other animals in this difficult situation", the federation said.

The Federation Council banned Russian exhibitors from entering FIFE shows outside Russia from March 1 to 21. It also prohibits importing or registering cats bred in Russia, in 'any FIFE pedigree book outside Russia, regardless of which organization issued the pedigree.'

In addition, the Council promised to allocate part of its budget to cat breeders and breeders in Ukraine affected by the ongoing conflict.

It's worth noting that since the start of the Russian invasion, some Ukrainian cat owners have been posting pictures of their frightened furry friends on social media, as they take them to bomb shelters or to the border, as they leave their homes for safety.