KGB bielorrusso adiciona chefe do estúdio World of Tanks à lista de terroristas

Nikolai Katselapov, diretor de desenvolvimento de negócios do estúdio Wargaming de World of Tanks, parece ter sido added to a list “of organisations and individuals involved in terrorist activities” (abre em uma nova guia) by Belarus’ Committee for State Security (or KGB, yes, as in que KGB). Num movimento que provavelmente foi desencadeado Wargaming saindo da Bielo-Rússia (abre em uma nova guia) following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, he is accused under article 290-1—”Financing of terrorist activities”—of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus.

Na verdade, Katselapov foi adicionado à lista em 30 de dezembro, mas foi apenas quando o jornal independente bielorrusso Nasha Niva (abre em uma nova guia) (através Observador do Game World (abre em uma nova guia)) reported on the story that it came to wider public knowledge. Nasha Niva believes that Katselapov is still free, which would make sense given that Wargaming hasn’t been present in Belarus for nearly a year now, but hasn’t been able to obtain comment from the company thus far.

I’ve also reached out to Wargaming to ask for comment on this story, and will update this piece if I receive a reply.

Belarus has long used its terrorist list as a political bludgeon. In the past, dissidents like opposition leader and former presidential candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya have been added to it as a pretext to justify repression of groups and individuals hostile to president Alyaksandr Lukashenka. It’s likely that Wargaming’s decision to vacate the country back in April last year offended the higher echelons of Belarus’ government, particularly given that Wargaming was the country’s largest game development studio: Foi avaliado em mais de um bilhão de dólares em 2016. (abre em uma nova guia)

It’s unclear why Belarus has picked on Katselapov particularly, though Nasha Niva theorises he may at some point have donated money to opposition political figures. Regardless, he has become entry #993 on the most recent version of Belarus’ terrorist list, and it’s looking even more unlikely that Wargaming will return to its home country anytime soon.

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• Fonte: https://www.pcgamer.com/belarusian-kgb-adds-world-of-tanks-studio-boss-to-terrorist-list