Finnish Paper Uses Video Game to Avoid Russia’s Press Restrictions

Finland's largest daily newspaper, Helsingin Sanomat, marked World Press Freedom Day on May 3 by using a popular online video game to get around Russian media restrictions¹.

Editor-in-chief Antero Mukka said the paper has hidden stories about Russia's war in Ukraine in the game Counter-Strike. The game is popular worldwide and among young Russian men.

Russia has restricted independent news sources in the country since its invasion of Ukraine. Since last year, the government has banned free reporting and blocked Russians from getting independent media content produced in other countries.

In answer to laws restricting press freedom in Russia, Helsingin Sanomat began publishing some of its Ukraine and Russia-related news in Russian last year. But Russia quickly restricted the content.

Mukka told Reuters reporters, "...We decided² that maybe it's possible to find some new channels to provide Russian audience with some reliable, independent journalism³ for example about the situations in Ukraine."

So they turned to Counter-Strike. The game was released in 2012 by U.S.-based private game maker⁴ Valve Corporation. It ranks among the world's top 10 most popular computer games, data from the research firm Newzoo shows.

The newspaper built a map of an unspecified war-torn Slavic city and named it "de_voyna." The word "voyna" in Russian means war. The term is banned in Russia as a description of the conflict in Ukraine. The Russian government instead calls the war a "special military operation."

The map hides a secret room where the paper keeps images and stories of the cruelties witnessed by its reporters and photographers in Ukraine.

Mukka said the Finnish newspaper did not seek Valve's permission to add its content to the game. Counter-Strike lets users create and add their own content to its platform.

Mukka said, "If some young men in Russia, just because of this game, happen to think for a couple of seconds what is going on in Ukraine then it's worth it."

1 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

2 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

3 journalism   

n.新闻工作，报业

参考例句：

• He's a teacher but he does some journalism on the side.他是教师，可还兼职做一些新闻工作。
• He had an aptitude for journalism.他有从事新闻工作的才能。

4 maker   

n.制造者，制造商

参考例句：

• He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。