The wife of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman has sparked outrage after playing a concentration camp prisoner in a Holocaust-themed ice skating routine on Russian TV.

Tatiana Navka, who is married to Dmitry Peskov, appeared on reality show Ice Age where she and actor Andrei Burkovsky donned striped uniforms and Stars of David for what many are calling a “shameful” performance.

The routine, which saw the duo pretend to shoot each other, drew criticism from people who viewed it as inappropriate and insensitive. 

It's just like Dancing with the Stars. Except on ice skates. In Russia. With a Holocaust theme. And a mimed shooting sequence. Oh my god… https://t.co/wTT1J2k22M

— Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) November 27, 2016

https://twitter.com/Pat_Healy/status/803032640727060480

Prominent members of the Jewish community objected to the performance on social media, including comedian Sarah Silverman and historian Deborah Lipstadt, who called it “the Holocaust on ice”.

But Ms Navka said the performance was a tribute to Oscar-winning film La Vita e Bella (Life is Beautiful), set during the Holocaust.

The pair skated to the 1997 movie’s theme song Beautiful That Way by Israeli singer Achinoam “Noa” Nini.

“Based on one of my favourite movies, Life is Beautiful,” she wrote in an Instagram post.

“Show this movie to your children.

“Our children need to know and remember that terrible time, which I hope, God willing, they will never know.”

Ms Navka won a gold medal for Russia in ice dance at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, along with then-partner Roman Kostomarov.

Watch the routine below

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=66&v=F3FsrjBASNY