World Cup: Vuvuzela-playing bear is the strangest thing from Russia so far [video]

The 2018 World Cup is officially underway. Russia opened the tournament with a 5-0 hammering of Saudi Arabia on Thursday.

Pretty entertaining stuff.

But while that was all fun and games, one celebration has raised a few eyebrows. A video of a bear playing a vuvuzela went viral on Thursday, causing widespread outrage all over the internet.

Now, we have to be clear here. We can’t say for sure if that’s actually a bear. It might just be somebody wearing a very realistic bear costume.

But, since this is not the first time the Russians have paraded around a bear for sport-related stuff… we’re a bit… well… we’re not sure really.

A trained bear named Tim helped open a third league game in April when it marched out onto the field and handed the ball to the official.

A video surfaced on YouTube in April showing a real bear on a soccer field with his trainer playing a vuvuzela… so it could very well be the same bear… and Goal.com chief correspondent Peter Staunton, also insists that the clip is real.

Animal rights groups, as you might expect, have strongly condemned the clip in question and all previous instances of a bear being made to perform for entertainment.

The bear also seems to be giving a “quenelle salute” – an antisemitic gesture – which has raised the outrage level further.

Watch: Bear plays the vuvuzela while riding a Jeep

Just been sent this, appears to be a bear in a jeep, blowing a vuvuzela (?) and then giving a quenelle salute. And told it's happening somewhere in Moscow. pic.twitter.com/Tg0Hj0taSo

— Peter Staunton (@petermstaunton) June 14, 2018

The “quenelle,” went viral in France over five years ago and is associated with racism, antisemitism, and regarded as an inverted Nazi salute.

Ex-France striker Nicolas Anelka used the gesture during a match in England whilst playing for West Bromwich Albion in 2013.

A quick search on YouTube returns other results of a bear playing a vuvuzela, this time, riding a motorcycle.

Watch: Bear plays the vuvuzela on a motorcycle

Well, that’s quite a start to the World Cup.