Russia’s embassy in Kenya shared an AI‑generated Christmas video produced by state‑backed Sputnik that shows Vladimir Putin handing out symbolic gifts to world leaders while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is given handcuffs. The clip, seen about 240,000 times on X, was posted hours before Zelensky met Donald Trump at Mar‑a‑Lago to discuss a U.S.‑brokered peace plan. The post’s menacing tone contrasts with U.S. envoy claims that Moscow is "committed" to peace and follows recent Russian strikes on Ukraine, including a Dec. 27 strike Russia described as "massive."
Russia Posts Menacing AI Christmas Video Ahead Of Zelensky–Trump Mar‑a‑Lago Meeting
Steve Witkoff shaking hands with Vladimir Putin in Moscow earlier this year. / Gavriil Grigorov / via REUTERS
The Russian Embassy in Kenya posted an artificial intelligence–generated Christmas video that pairs festive imagery with a clear political message, publishing the clip just hours before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was scheduled to meet Donald Trump at Mar‑a‑Lago to discuss a U.S.‑brokered peace plan.
The short video, produced by the Russian state‑backed outlet Sputnik and viewed about 240,000 times on X as of publication, shows a Santa‑clad Vladimir Putin handing out wrapped presents to world leaders — while Zelensky receives a pair of handcuffs and is later shown behind bars. A U.S. dollar‑shaped ornament also falls from a tree and smashes on the floor.
Trump met Putin amid great fanfare in Alaska in August and insisted “great progress” was made. / Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
Caption and Tone
“Christmas season is the time of giving, when Russia makes sure that all of its friends get something nice and are well and merry. As for the naughty ones, they too will get what is coming for them,”
The caption attached to the clip amplifies the video’s menacing tone and underscores that the post was intended as a political provocation rather than a lighthearted seasonal message.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping were keen to put on a display of unity at the SCO summit. / Alexander Zemlianichenko / via REUTERS
Notable Scenes
Highlights in the clip include:
Some of Zelensky and Trump's past meetings have turned contentious. / Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
- Donald Trump unwrapping a framed photo of himself with Putin from their widely criticized Alaska summit earlier this year.
- Chinese President Xi Jinping receiving ornaments shaped like the yuan (¥) and yen alongside the Russian ruble (₽), while a dollar‑bill ornament falls and breaks.
- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi being handed a model of a Russian stealth fighter—apparently referencing reports of a Russian offer to build the aircraft for India’s air force.
- Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro gifted a DJ set that blares, “No war just peace, forever, forever, forever,” a pointed allusion to regional tensions and U.S. military posture.
- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan shown with a snow globe of the Akkuyu nuclear plant—part of a Russian‑financed energy project.
- North Korea’s Kim Jong Un smiling at a note reading “From Russia, With Gratitude,” alongside a wrapped sword; Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán receives a Gazprom gift card.
- Volodymyr Zelensky opening handcuffs and then appearing frowning behind bars — the clip’s most overt threat.
Context And Contradiction
The video surfaced amid continued military activity in Ukraine. U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff had written on Dec. 21 that Moscow was “fully committed” to achieving peace — comments that stood in stark contrast to ongoing Russian attacks. Russian forces bombed Kyiv on a Saturday in late December, killing and injuring civilians, and on Dec. 27 Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed it had carried out a “massive strike” on Ukraine using “long‑range precision‑guided weapons from land, air, and sea, including Kinzhal hypersonic aeroballistic missiles.”
Response And Next Steps
The provocative timing — the embassy post appeared hours before the Zelensky–Trump meeting at Mar‑a‑Lago — and the use of AI to create striking, symbolic images demonstrate how digital media is being used to amplify geopolitical messaging. The Daily Beast has reached out to the White House for comment.
Note: The video was posted by the Russian Embassy in Kenya and produced by the state‑backed Sputnik outlet; platform metrics (about 240,000 views) reflect counts at the time of reporting.
