War Games: Russia spreads propaganda in world video games to justify Ukraine war
War Games: Russia spreads propaganda in world video games to justify Ukraine war
London
After facing sanctions and condemnation for the Ukraine war in the US, Europe and other Western countries, Russia is now taking to the world of video games to justify its actions.
As per reports, Russian players are spreading propaganda torrents on #Minecraft, World Of Tanks and Roblox gaming platforms, besides on related discussion forums as Discord and Steam.
This seems to be part of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s call for using gaming as a medium to instill values in youth as one in four Russians play games online.
Putin is of the view (as per his statement in July 2023) that games should instill and nurture universal human values as well as patriotism in the players.
Recently, Russian players, as per a report in the New York Times, recreated the battle in Soledar City in Ukraine in Minecraft, captured by Kremlin troops in January this year.
The gamers also posted the video of the re-enaction of this war in Minecraft on Russia’s popular social media platform, VKontakte.
On the Russian version of World of Tanks, the games celebrated the country’s win over Nazi Germany with a video of Russia’s parade of tanks in 1945.
In Roblox, the Russian players are furthering Kremlin propaganda by creating Interior Ministry Forces personnel to celebrate Russia Day in June.
The gaming discussion platforms like Discord and Steam too are being flooded with propaganda torrents, especially targeting youth, to justify the Ukraine war.
In the virtual world of video gaming, players have been adopting the letter ‘Z’, the Russian troops’ symbol to label Ukrainian as Nazis and blame the West for war.
Though Microsoft which had created Minecraft, has decided to suspend services or sales in Russia to comply with the sanctions.
But Russian players have time and again found a way to use these games and discussion forums as Discord and Steam.
Notably, Russia launched an attack on Ukraine in February 2022 which resulted in the deaths of thousands of people on both sides with accusations of cruelties on the civil population.
