Russian author and journalist Dmitry Glukhovsky is best known for his science fiction novelMetro 2033and its sequels. The story of the first book was later adapted into theMetro 2033video game, in which Glukhovsky assisted in the process of game development. He also worked as a writer for the game’s sequel,Metro: Last Light. Both games garnered positive reviews.However, theMetroseries author has recently come under fire from the Russian government for his criticism of the ongoing conflict with Ukraine. He’s now federally wanted in Russia for supposedly “discrediting” the government’s actions.RELATED:Microsoft Suspends All New Sales in Russia, Including Xbox
A Brief Explainer on the Russian Invasion of Ukraine
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine began as far back as 2014. However, the Russian invasion only began in February 2022.President Vladimir Putincalled it a “special military operation.” Following his decision, missiles and air raids fell across Ukraine and ground troops crossed the border from Russia. This forced millions of Ukrainians to flee the country, leaving many displaced and homeless.
The advent of the invasion drew criticism from foreign countries, with many disapproving ofRussia’s declaration of war. The same can be said of many Russian locals. The difference, however, is that Russian citizens aren’t allowed to call it a war. In doing so, they can be prosecuted under laws that criminalize fake news. Any Russian who criticizes the government’s decisions or the military’s actions could face up to 15 years of imprisonment.
The Metro Series Author’s Message
Metroseries writer Glukhovskyhas actively denounced the Russian invasion on his social media, but many of these posts are written in Russian. The tweet above, which was posted early in March, is one of the few materials in English. In the video, he calls the Russian invasion “unfair, unjust, predatory,” and emphasizes that it needs to stop immediately.
Later, in a Telegram message dated June 7, Glukhovsky shared that he was accused by the Russian government of sharing false information about the use of the Russian military. Hisstatement that Russia declared war on Ukrainewas supposedly false. In response to this, Glukhovsky kept to his stance, writing “Stop the war! Recognize that this is a war against an entire nation and stop it!” in his caption in Russian.
Currently, Glukhovsky does not reside in Russia, so it’s likely that Russian authorities cannot arrest him. He stands among the Russian writers who have spoken out against the Russian invasion of Ukraine, alongside Lyudmila Ulitskaya and Vladimir Sorokin.
Worth noting here is the fact that theMetrogame series was createdby the Ukrainian video game company, 4A Games. Glukhovsky worked with them closely to ensure that the adaptions remain faithful to the source material. First established in Kyiv, capital of Ukraine, in 2006, the company would make the decision to move its headquarters to Malta in 2014. This was due to the growing unrest between Russia and Ukraine following the annexation of the Crimean Peninsula.
Despite this, the studio in Kyiv continued to operate. However, after the recent invasion, 4A Games’ parent company, Saber Interactive, allowed local employees to relocate to any Saber-owned companies outside of Ukraine. Since then, 4A games as well as other Ukrainian game developers have condemned Russia’s actions and voiced their support for humanitarian aid efforts. Other game developers such asBungie and CD Projekt Red have also pitched into the cause.
At the moment, the Russian invasion is still ongoing. Thus, it’s important that influential figures and groups speak out against needless violence.
Metro Exodusis available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
