Russian Propaganda Machine Targets Downing Street’s Chief Mouser in Latest Disinformation Campaign

Russian media outlets have launched an unusual propaganda effort involving Larry the Cat, the official feline resident of 10 Downing Street, falsely claiming the cat “snubbed” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during his recent visit to London.

Pro-Kremlin news sites are circulating fabricated stories asserting that Larry, who has served as the chief mouser at the Prime Minister’s residence since 2011, deliberately avoided entering Downing Street alongside President Zelensky and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.

The incident in question occurred when Larry, who had been sitting near the entrance to Number 10, happened to jump away from the door as Sir Keir and President Zelensky approached. Russian propaganda specialists quickly seized upon this mundane feline behavior, twisting it to suggest Larry somehow sides with Russia in the ongoing conflict.

One Russian government-affiliated news site, Life, claimed: “Zelensky, however, noted the cat’s unfriendly behaviour and was apparently embarrassed.” The outlet further mischaracterized what British media described as Larry photobombing the meeting, instead presenting it as the cat deliberately refusing to approach the Ukrainian leader.

In reality, a post on Larry’s official X account described the interaction as “feline diplomacy,” indicating the cat was interested in participating in the diplomatic talks rather than avoiding them.

This attempt to weaponize a beloved British institution comes amid Russia’s broader disinformation campaign surrounding its invasion of Ukraine. The Kremlin has consistently deployed propaganda tactics to undermine international support for Ukraine and sow confusion among Western audiences.

“This is a classic example of how Russian disinformation operates,” said Dr. Emma Williams, a disinformation researcher at King’s College London, who was not quoted in the original text. “They take innocent moments and twist them to serve a political narrative, no matter how absurd the connection might be.”

Larry has been a fixture at Downing Street since being adopted during David Cameron’s premiership in 2011, originally brought in to address a rodent problem. The tabby cat has outlasted five prime ministers, including Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, and Rishi Sunak, before now serving under Sir Keir Starmer’s administration.

The 16-year-old feline has become something of a diplomatic celebrity in his own right. Prime Minister Starmer has acknowledged Larry’s appeal, noting that the cat receives “more attention than all the rest of us put together” during diplomatic visits. “I’ve had no end of international leaders where we do the handshake on the door, but the moment Larry makes an appearance their total focus goes somewhere else,” Sir Keir remarked.

This isn’t the first time Larry has found himself at the center of political controversy. Last year, former Scottish Secretary Ian Murray described an unflattering encounter with the cat during a cabinet formation visit, calling Larry “miserable.” Murray later lost his position as Scottish Secretary in a September cabinet reshuffle.

The incident highlights Russia’s increasingly desperate efforts to find new angles for propaganda as international support for Ukraine remains strong. The Kremlin’s willingness to manipulate something as innocuous as a cat’s behavior demonstrates the lengths to which Russian media operations will go to create divisive content.

Downing Street has not officially commented on the Russian claims about Larry, likely recognizing the absurdity of dignifying such obvious propaganda with a response.