Moscow court orders seizure of Russian gaming studio over alleged funding of Ukraine's military

On June 3, a Moscow court ruled in favor of the Russian Prosecutor General's Office, labeling Wargaming owner Victor Kislyi and Lesta Games owner Malik Khatazhayev as members of an "extremist organization." The court also approved the seizure of all shares in Lesta Games, known for developing "Mir Tankov" (the Russian version of "World of Tanks"). Lesta Games took over the title after Wargaming exited the Russian market following the invasion of Ukraine.

The confiscation targets all three of Lesta's corporate entities. Prosecutors cited news articles and YouTube videos as evidence of "extremist activity," including headlines about Wargaming's charity initiatives for Ukraine. Anton Gorelkin, a Russian official, assured players they have nothing to fear, comparing the situation to Instagram's ban in Russia.