There Was A Commotion In Novosibirsk Over A Banner With An Orangutan For May 9

• 9.05.2026, 12:32

Batu the monkey is not just an animal, but a local celebrity.

The prosecutor's office of the Novosibirsk region of the Russian Federation is conducting an inspection in connection with a banner for May 9 posted in Novosibirsk with an image of an orangutan and the inscription "Happy Victory Day!", the TASS news agency reported.

It was also initially reported that the banner was also being checked by Roskomnadzor, but its mention was removed.

It is claimed that Novosibirsk residents complained about the banner.

The banner with the animal was placed by the Novosibirsk Zoo. The zoo's director Andrey Shilo explained to the agency that they decided to place a photo of an orangutan on the banners, thus expressing "gratitude from the animals for rescue" during the war. "I think it is, on the contrary, the right story. We are a zoo, it is logical that we use photos of animals in congratulatory banners," he said.

Local media noted that the orangutan Batu depicted on the poster is not just an animal, but a Novosibirsk celebrity. In the zoo, he demonstrates to visitors his ability to put on a T-shirt and drink juice through a tube, and in 2022 he took part in the so-called election of the symbol of the "New Year's Capital of Russia", which was accompanied by a scandal - it turned out that officials used gerrymandering and administrative resources when voting for animals from zoos.