Escape from Tarkov fans are scrutinizing alleged sympathies for the Russian invasion of Ukraine within Battlestate Games: 'If I could refund it I would'

The images show Buyanov in pictures with 715 Team members, firing guns with them, and show in-game screenshots of alleged tributes to the group—graffiti and cosmetics that read "715" and "train hard," part of the group's slogan. It states that Buyonav recorded promotional videos with Russian arms manufacturer Kalashnikov before the invasion and claims that, though Battlestate is silent on the Russian state's actions now, its employees have allegedly been spotted in friendly photos with unapologetic supporters of the war. The US military uses games like Call of Duty actively in its recruitment strategies as reported by The Guardian, and Hollywood films that portray the Department of Defense have a long history of cooperation with the Pentagon in exchange for access to equipment—Iron Man and 007: Tomorrow Never Dies, for example.

Author: Justin Wagner

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