Barbie takes Siberia! Russian theater manager, 21, reveals THOUSANDS have flocked to his remote rooftop cinema to watch pirate copy – after it wasn’t released due to Ukraine war

A Russian theater manager shows a pirated copy of Barbie in front of thousands of fans, despite it not being released there due to the war in Ukraine.

Vladimir Tikhonenko, 21, aired a rip-off version of the Hollywood blockbuster on two screens in Tyumen, Siberia, last month.

He has also hosted “Barbieland” rooftop parties with DJs, yoga sessions, and lectures on “Barbie Philosophy.”

Tichonenko broadcasts the film at great personal risk, as the Russian state regularly censors Western media and likely views his actions as subversive.

Both Barbie and Oppenheimer were not released in Russia by Hollywood production companies in protest of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

But Tichonenko told DailyMail.com that he was among those still showing the film, showing more than 70 spectators in recent weeks.

He said, “Primary versions are all over the internet now and we have them all. When it came out in July, there wasn’t a good enough copy of Barbie.”

Tikhonenko removed ads from the best version he could find among all the poor quality copies copied from movie theaters outside Russia.

The copy he showed also had Russian dubbing, suggesting it could have come from a Russian-speaking area.

Russians have been able to watch Western films despite major producers – such as Warner Brothers, Disney and Paramount – withdrawing from the country because of the war.

He has also hosted “Barbieland” rooftop parties with DJs, yoga sessions and lectures on “Barbie Philosophy”

Cinemas in Russia sold tickets to little-known Russian documentaries and screenings of completely different films. It meant they circumvented copyright laws and Russian laws that require government distribution certificates

Most copies came in from Kazakhstan and other Russian-speaking markets, among others.

Cinemas in Russia sold tickets to little-known Russian documentaries and screenings of completely different films.

It meant they circumvented copyright laws and Russian laws requiring government distribution certificates, the Financial Times reported.

Tikhonenko said he was not concerned about censorship or copyright issues. His cinemas were small-scale and showed films on the roof only in the summer.

“The government, hopefully and fortunately, has not paid any attention to us,” he said.

Last week he also organized the biggest event of the year in his area called ‘Barbieland’. With a DJ, yoga, a lecture on ‘Barbie Philosophy’ and a screening of the film.

Eager Barbie fans wore different shades of pink while enjoying pizza and beer while watching the hit.

Last week he also organized the biggest event of the year in his area called ‘Barbieland’. With a DJ, yoga, a lecture on ‘Barbie Philosophy’ and a screening of the film

Russian film critic Ilya Dolenko denounced the ‘Barbie’ screening in Tyumen for ‘sh***y’ dubbing and pop-up gambling ads, the Moscow Times reported

Tichonenko added: ‘Everyone was having fun, dancing and taking pictures. The atmosphere was great and exciting.’

Russian film critic Ilya Dolenko denounced the “Barbie” screening in Tyumen for “sh***y” dubbing and pop-up gambling ads, the Moscow Times reported.

But Tikhonenko hit back and said, “It’s not true, because this film critic is from Moscow.

“He wasn’t at our first screening and anyone who’s attended our events can prove that.”

But he has come under fire from some, with critics criticizing him for the appalling quality of his copies, while others attacking him for airing the film in the first place.

Meanwhile, Russian MP Maria Butina, who has been convicted and imprisoned in the US for acting as an unregistered foreign agent, called for a ban on Barbie.

What do we see in the movie? Gays. Transgenders. Women who have taken over the world.

“Nothing about the union between men and women, nothing about love,” she told Russian television channel Duma.

Tikhonenko said he was aware of the critics but said, “If we live in such a reality, what can we do?” We just want to have fun and see the movie.”