Key facts
- Russian President Vladimir Putin compared the war in Ukraine to orcas hunting polar bears.
- Putin stated that children should be taught about the "food chain" to understand the conflict.
- The remarks were made during a meeting with students and teachers at a Moscow university.
- Putin previously used the bear as a metaphor for Russia's confrontation with the West.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has drawn a parallel between the ongoing war in Ukraine and the natural world, likening the conflict to orcas hunting polar bears. Speaking to students and teachers at a Moscow university on August 29, Putin suggested that children should be educated about the "food chain" to comprehend the realities of the world and the rationale behind Russia's "special military operation."
Putin's analogy emerged when he asked a teacher from the Belgorod region about seeing polar bears during a visit to the North Pole. The teacher confirmed seeing two bears, prompting Putin to describe how orcas nearby hunt and "tear them apart."
"Yes, that's the food chain. Children should be taught about this, so that they understand what kind of world we live in and why we are conducting the special military operation," Putin stated.
The bear has been a recurring symbol in Putin's rhetoric concerning Russia's relationship with the West. In 2014, following the annexation of Crimea, he compared Russia to a bear that the West sought to restrain, warning that its "teeth and claws" would be removed if it were "put on a chain."