These images show Katyusha, Russia’s first panda cub, actively exploring her enclosure and getting to know her surroundings.

Zoo visitors giggle as she practices her climbing skills on a log structure in her enclosure.

Newsflash obtained a statement from Moscow Zoo saying: “Well, look at this beauty. Every day further and further into the outdoor enclosure. Everyone looked at this conquest with bated breath.”

Katyusha is now eight months old and is the first giant panda to be born in Russia, in August 2023. Her parents are a male named Ru Yi and a female named Ding Ding.

The name “Katyusha” was selected among the votes in a name contest which attracted over 380,000 participants.

In preparation for the pandas’ arrival in 2019, Moscow Zoo renovated its pens and enclosure, and its employees had undergone several months of training at a Chinese panda breeding centre to ensure proper care of the animals, Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said, noting that the transfer of pandas to another country is a “sign of great trust”.

Ru Yi and Ding Ding were brought to Moscow to mark the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

According to an agreement, two employees from China will stay in the zoo for at least 120 days a year for 15 years, supervising and training Russian employees.

Svetlana Akulova, general director of Moscow Zoo, said the pandas enjoy the climate in Moscow, as it is not too hot or humid during summer and temperatures do not drop too low during winter. They can also roll about in the snow.