Wargaming has fired World of Tanks creative director Sergey Burkatovskiy after he expressed public support of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
As reported by PCGamer, Burkatovskiy posted a message on Facebook explaining he backed “the operation of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, the DPR (Donetsk People’s Republic) and the LPR (Luhansk People’s Republic).”
Russian officials and state-backed media outlets have been describing the invasion of Ukraine as a “special military operation.”
Shortly after posting the message, Burkatovskiy added another explaining he had “broke up with the VG,” with some speculating VG stood for “WG” or Wargaming.
A Wargaming representative has since confirmed the news, telling PCGamer that “Sergey Burkatovskiy expressed his personal opinion on social media which categorically does not reflect the position of the company. He has been let go and is no longer at the company.”
The studio — which is headquartered in Cyprus, was founded in Belarus, and has an office in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv — also pledged $1 million to the Ukrainian Red Cross to help those affected by the invasion. Wargaming said it will also be funnelling “all available company resources” into helping and supporting its staff in Ukraine.
“At Wargaming, the safety and security of our employees is the top priority. Currently, all available company resources are helping and supporting our 550+ colleagues: providing them with alternate housing, early salary payments, additional funds to aid travel and relocation,” said a company representative.
“We are helping our employees’ families to travel to neighboring countries and organizing accommodation for them. And lastly, today Wargaming Kyiv are donating $1 million to the Ukrainian Red Cross. These funds will be used to support Ukrainian hospitals and doctors, those citizens who have been displaced and other vital activities of the humanitarian organization as is needed.”