Ivan Petrovich Ivanov-Vano, born Ivanov, was a Soviet and Russian animation director, animator, screenwriter, educator, professor at Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography (VGIK). One of the pioneers of the Soviet animation school, he is sometimes called the "Patriarch of Soviet animation". People's Artist of the USSR (1985).

The history of Russian animation is the visual art form produced by Russian animation makers. As most of Russia's production of animation for cinema and television were created during Soviet times, it may also be referred to some extent as the history of Soviet animation. It remains a nearly unexplored field in film theory and history outside Russia.