Finnish newspaper creates CS:GO level to report war in Ukraine in Russia

A Finnish newspaper has made a folder for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive in which the newspaper wants to provide Russians with news about the war in Ukraine. This is how the newspaper wants to circumvent sanctions and censorship in Russia.

The map is called de_vonya and depicts a Slavic city where war has recently raged. Inside the map is “a secret room” where players can read news about the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The room contains Russian and English news about the war, together with images.

Two ‘renowned map designers’, who have both created hundreds of maps, created the map at the request of the newspaper. They want to remain anonymous, for fear of backlash. The room cannot be visited just like that; for example, players must die in order to float through the air with the camera, after which they can visit the underground chamber.

Ordinary Russians know virtually nothing about the war crimes and atrocities committed by the Russian army in Ukraine. to GamesRadar. With the folder, the newspaper wants to change that. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive can still be downloaded and played in Russia, de_vonya as far as known.

One of the stories that can be read in the room is about a Ukrainian man who went shopping. While he was gone, his family was killed in a Russian missile strike. The stories in the room come from reporters from the Finnish newspaper. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, most Western media, including the Finnish newspaper and social media, are no longer accessible in Russia.