Video Games as a New Weapon in the Shadows: The LingvaLexa Team Presented a Study on Kremlin Propaganda in the Virtual World

On October 8, at the Khartia Hub space, LingvaLexa presented its new research “New Weapon in the Shadows: How the Kremlin Uses Video Games for War Propaganda.”

Over three billion people worldwide today are gamers. The video game industry has become one of the most powerful sectors of mass culture. And it is precisely here, in virtual worlds, that Russian propaganda is increasingly active – subtly, emotionally, and on a massive scale.

During the event, the head of the organization, Anna Vyshniakova, and an OSINT researcher explained how Russia is gradually integrating the gaming industry into its propaganda machine – from state grants and commissioned storylines to the creation of online communities that promote the concept of the “Russian world.”

Special attention was given to the cases of Squad 22: ZOV, Best in Hell, and several other games that reproduce narratives of Russia’s war against Ukraine, justify violence, and militarize young audiences.

Video games have become a new tool of influence – capable of shaping perceptions of reality, normalizing violence, and even evoking empathy toward the aggressor. They represent an ideological weapon disguised as entertainment.

Participants also discussed the risks of the “gamification” of war, the psychological mechanisms of influence through gameplay, and the importance of expert evaluation of gaming content to prevent information manipulation.

The LingvaLexa team called for special attention to the content consumed by children and teenagers, as it is often through games that they form their understanding of war, violence, and modern-day “heroes.”

The full study is now available here (PDF). It will be useful for journalists, educators, and researchers studying Russia’s information operations in the digital space.