Russian police are investigating a bizarre circus performance, featuring a monkey in Nazi costume and goats with swastikas, according to a report published on Wednesday.
The animals were filmed parading through the Udmurtia State Circus in Izhevsk, with handlers dressed in Soviet uniforms last week, according to UK Sun.
Wild images show goats in red swastika capes walking alongside a monkey wearing a formal black Nazi uniform.
The presentation – seen by children and commissioned by the Russian Orthodox Church – potentially violates a Russian law that prohibits the display of Nazi symbols, the vehicle said.
Local police and prosecutors are investigating whether the program glorifies Adolf Hitler or Nazi culture.
But the church said the artists were simply using animal actors to portray the country’s historic victory over Hitler during World War II.
“The performance of trainers wearing Soviet military uniforms with animals carrying Nazi symbols was used as an image not only of the victory over fascism,” a church official told the vehicle. “[It depicts] worldwide condemnation of the ideals of Nazi Germany. “
The circus added that no one involved in the act is really crazy for the Third Reich.
“Trainers in the form of Red Army soldiers [were] chasing trained animals using Nazi symbols, ”said the circus representative.
Last year, Vladimir Putin signed an exemption to allow swastikas to be used in presentations if they portray Nazis negatively.