‘Soft Power in a Cardboard Box’: Pro-Kremlin Activist Calls for Pizza Ban

Nov. 3, 2026 Vitaly Borodin. vk / borodinfpbk From geopolitical adversaries to covert foreign plots, Russia seemingly sees malign influences lurking everywhere. But according to a prominent pro-Kremlin activist, one of the country’s more underappreciated threats comes topped with cheese — pizza. On Tuesday, Vitaly Borodin, who heads the Kremlin-aligned Federal Security and Anti-Corruption Foundation, called on Russian schools and universities to remove pizza from their cafeteria menus, branding the dish as Western “soft power in a cardboard box.” “For a thousand years, our grandmothers baked traditional pies, and now we’re being sold an Italian flatbread slathered in ketchup,” Borodin wrote in a post on Telegram. “Let me remind you that Italy is on the list of unfriendly states and supplies weapons to the Kyiv regime.” Over the years, Borodin has earned a reputation for filing complaints with law enforcement against alleged foreign influences, targeting independent news outlets, celebrities, liberal activists and even Santa Claus as potential “agents” of Western subversion. “First it’s pizza, then it’s Halloween. And all of a sudden, children can’t name a single Russian dish,” Borodin added in his Telegram post on Tuesday, urging authorities to ban untranslated foreign words on storefront signs and advertisements, singling out names like “Pizzeria,” “Pepperoni” and “Papa John’s.” Borodin’s anti-pizza diatribe and those before it reflect a broader rejection of Western influence at the government level in Russia, alongside growing cultural conservatism. In November 2022, President Vladimir Putin signed a decree outlining the state’s role in preserving “traditional Russian spiritual and moral values” rooted in, among other things, cultural heritage. The Kremlin has also framed the war in Ukraine and wider geopolitical tensions as part of a civilizational struggle, casting Russia as a defender of traditional values against the encroachment of liberal Western norms. Read more about: Food , The West Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Russia Restricts Fish Imports From Armenia as Diplomatic Tensions Rise The measure adds to a growing list of food and beverage restrictions as Yerevan pursues ties with the European Union. 2 Min read Russians Trade Down to Cheaper Food as Incomes Come Under Pressure X5’s hard-discount chain Chizhik is expected to overtake Pyaterochka in revenue for the first time this year, its president said. 2 Min read Government Price Caps Put Russia’s Breadmakers in Jeopardy, Producer Warns Bread prices rose 14.6% last year, a rate one and a half times faster than overall inflation. The government is now considering price caps to tame the... 2 Min read opinion Tatiana Stanovaya A Fight for Survival: What Victory Looks Like to Putin Russian President Vladimir Putin’s state-of-the-nation address shed no light on how he intends to win this war. 5 Min read