Gennady Sokolsky, who for nearly four decades helped create and draw some of the most popular animated characters in the Soviet Union and later in Russia, has died at the age of 78.
A message about Sokolsky's death was posted on the website animator.ru on December 27.
The posting noted the animator and director's part in creating such well known cartoons as "Vesyolaya Karusel" (The Happy Carousel) and "Nu, Pogodi!" (Just Wait!).
Sokolsky would later partner with Fyodor Khitruk in bringing to life the Russian version of "Winnie the Pooh" (Vinni-Pukh).
Sokolsky studied at the Soyuzmultfilm cinema studio and worked in animation from 1961 to 1998.
Though his cartoons were well known by the Soviet public, Sokolsky never received any award for his work; something animator.ru said was true "of the majority of Russian animators."