- Russian condition media documented on an FSB procedure concentrating on “professional-Ukrainian saboteurs.”
- Per unbiased media, the guys killed were being roleplayers of the video clip match “S.T.A.L.K.E.R.”
- The condition media report appeared to misidentify videogame imagery as real militant symbols.
A few adult males killed in a Russian key assistance operation have been gamers in costume instead than Ukrainian brokers, according to a report in Russian media.
The original story of Russian FSB agents taking out Ukrainian saboteurs came under scrutiny when meant militant gear was recognized as imitation equipment from the movie sport “S.T.A.L.K.E.R.”, The Moscow Times documented.
On Wednesday evening, state information channel Russia-1 noted on an procedure by the FSB in Voronezh, a town about 150km from the border with Ukraine.
The brokers, for each the outlet, killed “3 energetic pro-Ukrainian nationalist ideology supporters” who it claimed were being setting up to assault strength infrastructure close by.
The Moscow Situations mentioned it recognized two of those killed as seemingly harmless gaming purpose-players.
It attributed its facts to other users of that local community who would roleplay along with them, staging practical but harmless mock-military services battles.
Per the paper, the males have been mimicking the common survival-horror videogame, “S.T.A.L.K.E.R.,” which is established in a fictionalized edition of Ukraine’s Chernobyl.
Footage from the Russia-1 report, reviewed and translated by Insider, showcased a flag which the network mentioned was from a Ukrainian nationalist get together, but truly matches imagery from the game.
Russia-1/Smotrim.ru
The obscured wolf insignia above was attributed by Russia-1 to a fringe political party in Ukraine termed Volya.
“All those precise flags could be found in the arms of the ultra-suitable gangs for the duration of the Kyiv Maidan,” claimed the report, referring to the uprising in 2014 which overthrew Ukraine’s last pro-Russian government.
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The only logo related with the Ukrainian Volya get together that Insider could identify is shaped of bold yellow lettering on a white track record. Even so, the reporter reported: “It is obvious whose orders they adhere to.”
However, the blurred-out flag does strongly resemble that of a faction of the identical title from “S.T.A.L.K.E.R.” This logo has a eco-friendly wolf’s head in profile on a black history.
Russia-1/Smotrim.ru
The two men discovered by The Moscow Moments, which considered what it mentioned ended up their social media accounts, were Vorozneh locals Vladimir Kotovsky, and an account below the name Stalker Phosgene.
The home filmed by Russia-1 also matches a person that appears in a image shared by Stalker Phosgene on social media, the paper reported. Insider was unable to affirm this.
Insider viewed an account in the identify of Stalker Phosgene on Russian social media site VKontake, where the account holder appeared to be a fan of the video activity.
A big selection of the account’s photos display a gentleman in military services equipment in what appeared to be staged shots. The account was final active on November 22, and did not react to Insider’s request for comment.
Kotosvsky’s account, per the paper, also confirmed him to be a “S.T.A.L.K.E.R.” admirer.
An unnamed member of the local airsoft fan group explained to the paper “Stalker Phosgene was an anarchist, a rebel and supported Ukraine” and that he was “banned numerous situations from game titles owing to rule violations.”
Kotovsky, the resource reported, was an “everyday” individual who “was a supporter of Navalny.”
