The Russian streaming service Okk released a special New Year’s episode of the beloved children’s animated series “Prostokvashino” on Friday, featuring an animated version of President Vladimir Putin.

In this episode, the characters visit Moscow’s Red Square to ring in the New Year. Matroskin the cat and Sharik the dog debate whether the president pre-records his annual holiday message or delivers it live.

While in Red Square, they have an encounter with Putin, during which Sharik invites him to join in wishing the Russian people a Happy New Year.

The character of animated Putin is voiced by actor Dmitry Grachev, famed for his comedic impersonations of the Russian leader on the program Comedy Club.

Earlier this year, Yuliana Slashcheva, chair of the animation studio Soyuzmultfilm that produces “Prostokvashino,” hinted at the appearance of a cartoon version of Putin, suggesting that the series could play a role in enhancing Russia’s “soft power” internationally.

First launched in 2018, “Prostokvashino” is a modern adaptation of the well-loved Soviet-era cartoon inspired by the children’s stories of Eduard Uspensky from the 1970s. The show is set in the fictional village of Prostokvashino, which translates to “sour milk” in Russian.