Truth about the invasion of Ukraine smuggled into Russia in a popular computer game
The truth about the invasion of Ukraine was smuggled into Russia in a very popular computer game.
Finland’s largest daily newspaper, Helsingin Sanomat, battled the country’s intense media restrictions by hiding news about the war in Ukraine in the shooter game Counter-Strike.
The publication’s editor-in-chief, Antero Mukka, said the paper had to get creative to break through the restrictions.
This was deemed necessary after Russia cracked down on independent journalism and banned free reporting.
Since Moscow launched their ‘special military operation’, Russians have been unable to access media content produced abroad.
The truth about the invasion of Ukraine was smuggled into Russia in the popular computer game Counter-Strike
The publication’s editor-in-chief, Antero Mukka, said the newspaper had to be creative to break Russia’s militant media restrictions.
The eerie room narrows down details of the war and the pain Russia inflicted on Ukraine
Mr Mukka said: ‘Because we have been very concerned about the situation of press freedom and freedom of expression in Russia, we have decided that it might be possible to find new channels to provide the Russian public with reliable, independent journalism, for example about the situations in Ukraine.’
Popular among Russian men, Counter-strike was released in 2012 by US-based private game maker Valve Corporation.
The newspaper created a devastated and war-torn Slavic city called ‘Vonya’ to show the harrowing desperation inflicted on Ukraine.
This word ‘vonya’ means war in Russia and residents are not allowed to refer the word to the conflict in Ukraine.
The eerie room is enclosed in blood-red walls with news articles about the gruesome and devastating truth behind the war.
The creators have draped heartbreaking pictures of the destruction and desperation being spread through Ukraine by Russia.
They also added a large map detailing the various attacks on innocent civilians.
Screens on the blood-red walls show harrowing images of the suffering of Russian soldiers
“You will find a secret room there, and there we give them our own articles, our own documentation, for example about massacres in Bucha and Irpin, and also the victims of the Russian army there in Ukraine,” Mukka added.
Game users are allowed to create their own content on the platform, so the media company did not have to ask Valve for permission.
While the game’s content may not be shared nationally on the front of newspapers, Finnish journalists hope that at least a few Russians will come across their darkroom of news.
“If some young men in Russia, just because of this game, think for a few seconds about what is happening in Ukraine, it will be worth it,” he added.