Nation divided by a hobby

QUADROBICS: FROWNED UPON AS WESTERN TREND, DESCRIBED BY A LAWMAKER AS DISGUSTING

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» Authorities driving debate to create division between Russia and the West - analyst.

Yana, a 12-year-old Muscovite, is worried that she will have to give up her hobby of quadrobics - a fitness and social media trend that involves imitating the movements of four-legged animals.

Russian officials, Orthodox clergymen and pro-government intellectuals have harshly criticized the trend, portraying it as a dangerous import from a decadent West.

In line with a hardening of Russia's ultraconservative social agenda since the start of the offensive on Ukraine in February 2022, lawmakers recently proposed to ban quadrobics.

The proposal comes after similar interdictions against the LGBTQ movement and even couples who don't want to have children - moves touted by Moscow as necessary to defend Russia's "traditional values".

"We are being told how many children to have and how they should play? Seriously?" said Yana's 38-year-old mother, Yulia, a travel agent.

Yulia spoke on condition of anonymity fearing repercussions in Russia's increasingly repressive environment.