Russia wants to seize the assets of the heads of the World of Tanks studios Wargaming and Lesta Games. Wargaming is responsible for the development of the global version of World of Tanks and left the Russian Federation in 2022, Lesta is responsible for a separate Russian version.
Russia wants to seize the assets of the heads of the World of Tanks studios Wargaming and Lesta Games. Wargaming is responsible for the development of the global version of World of Tanks and left the Russian Federation in 2022, Lesta is responsible for a separate Russian version.
The Russian Prosecutor General is accusing Malik Khatazhayev, the head of Lesta Games, and Viktor Kysly, the head of Wargaming, of extremist activities due to their support for Wargaming Ukraine. The Prosecutor General is seeking to seize all of the executives' shares in their companies, Engadget reports , citing Russian media.
"Wargaming made a strategic exit from the Russian and Belarusian markets three years ago. The company transferred its business in Russia and Belarus to local management for zero cost and without debt, on a cashless basis, with no intention of buying it back. Wargaming has no assets or business interests in Russia and Belarus," the Wargaming press service reported.
World of Tanks development was split in 2022, when Wargaming left its offices in Russia and Belarus and transferred the development of the Russian version of the game to Lesta Games. In 2023, Wargaming ran a World of Tanks campaign to raise funds for medical aid in Ukraine. The Russian government decided to interpret this pro-Ukrainian fundraising as anti-Russian extremist activity. Why Lesta Games is being accused of the same thing is not entirely clear, but this company is technically still under the jurisdiction of the Prosecutor General.
According to Russian RBC, Lesta Games commented on these messages on its Telegram channel: "The company operates in full compliance with the legislation of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus, so we have no reason for any concerns or concealment of information. We have not violated anything and we have nothing to fear."
