Wargaming Stands By Its Kyiv Studio As Its Native Belarus Moves Against Ukraine

World of Tanks developer Wargaming has rerouted company resources to support over 550 developers at its Kyiv studio as the Russian invasion of Ukraine enters its sixth day.

Persha Studia was originally founded in 2000. It became Wargaming Kyiv in 2011 following its acquisition by Wargaming. The studio is the primary development hub of the F2P multiplayer title World of Warplanes. The company is currently helping staff in Kyiv find alternate housing, and sending early salary payments. It’s also ensuring any travel and relocation efforts are paid for should staff need to evacuate quickly.

Wargaming is throwing its support behind the Kyiv studio in a moment of political treachery. The company’s largest development hub is in Minsk, the capital of neighbouring Belarus. Belarus, which has served as a staging platform for the Russian war effort, now seemingly moves to send troops to aid Russian forces. Wargaming joins a chorus of Belarusian voices and businesses strongly opposing its leadership’s decision to ally with the Kremlin.

In addition to ensuring its staff make it through the crisis, Wargaming is also donating US $1 million (A$1,377,724) in the studio’s name to the Ukrainian Red Cross.

Here’s the statement from the press release:

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.

We are helping our employees’ families to travel neighboring countries and organizing accommodation for them.

And lastly, today Wargaming Kyiv are donating $1m 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.

We will be able to proceed with further humanitarian help if situation requires.

For more on the Ukrainian-Russia conflict, our friends at Lifehacker have put together a comprehensive explainer. Kotaku sends its support to everyone at Wargaming Kyiv.

This article is republished from Kotaku Australia. Read the original article.