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

A Finnish newspaper has created a folder for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive in which the newspaper wants to provide Russians with news about the war in Ukraine. In this way, the newspaper wants to avoid 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, along with images.

Two ‘well-known map designers’, both of whom have 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 simply be visited; 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,” says the editor-in-chief of the Finnish newspaper to GamesRadar. The newspaper wants to change that with the folder. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive can still be downloaded and played in Russia, as far as we know, so can De_vonya.

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