In Russia, the invasion is sold as a board game – for an “unforgettable game evening”

The independent “Moscow Times“ reported. In photos on the Internet, the design has video game character in neon colors. Tanks and military helicopters can be seen, as are armed soldiers. In the pictures you can also see a game description. According to this, playing “special surgery in the outskirts” is about freeing Ukraine from “Nazi rule”. Some cities “welcome the liberators”, others are under the influence of propaganda. There you have to expect resistance.

“Special surgery” gamble from the age of 14

In Russia, a war in Ukraine was not officially spoken for a long time, but of a “special operation”. The alleged liberation of the country of National Socialists is also repeatedly mentioned by Russia as an excuse for the attack that is contrary to international law. The game clearly serves the line of the Russian government.

The name itself is a pun: the Russian word for outskirts (“Okraina”) is similar to this for Ukraine (“Ukraina”). The game is recommended from the age of 14, it is family -friendly and suitable for two to six people, according to the accompanying material.

Sale via large Russian online retailers

The board game is sold via “Wildberries”, a Russian online shipping dealer similar to Amazon. The company, which is given as a manufacturer at “Wildberries”, denied having something to do with the game. A QR code in a photo of the game box leads to a telegram channel in which only the game is advertised-with buy requests, discounts and competitions. Here, too, it remains unclear who pulls the strings.

„Do you want to spend an unforgettable evening with friends, full of strategies, unexpected twists and fun?“, Says one of the Telegram posts. The game is “the perfect gift for family evenings or meetings with friends”, in which you can become a hero “exciting battles”.

Enthusiastic reviews on the Internet

In advertising for “special surgery in the outskirts”, the comparison to the bretting game classic Monopoly is made. Instead of Turmstraße and Schlossallee to build on, you apparently conquer cities like Odessa or Kyiv here (Ukrainian: Odesa and Kyjiw). A type of playing card bears the letter z, which is known as the propaganda oak of the Russian military.

The currently 125 reviews on “Wildberries” go back to the beginning of December. Since then, the game seems to be sold there. The ratings are enthusiastic almost without exception. Only six users award three stars or less. They primarily complain about the quality of the game material.

The manufacturers seem to take the criticism very seriously: In their telegram channel, they explain that they have been used in a new edition of higher -quality material for the play money and the field has now been laminated for a longer lifespan.