"World of Tanks" corporation expands its wealth with a reported capital of 128 million dollars.
In a dramatic turn of events, the Russian Prosecutor General's Office has banned Lesta Games, a game development company, and seized its assets, following allegations that the company supported Ukraine's armed forces and engaged in extremist activities.
Established in 2025, Lesta Games is not affiliated with Wargaming, a gaming company founded in 1998 and known for developing World of Tanks, World of Battleships, World of Warplanes, and World of Warships. However, the company's owner, Malik Khatazhaev, was also a co-founder of Wargaming.
The ban on Lesta Games was primarily due to allegations that the company supported the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The Russian Prosecutor General's Office accused Lesta Games, its owner, and Belarusian businessman Viktar Kisły—also a co-founder of Wargaming—of backing Ukraine militarily.
Belarus has also opened criminal cases against key figures linked to Wargaming, including co-founder Mikałaj Kacałapaŭ and co-owner Nikolai Katselapov, accusing them of extremism, terrorism financing, and supporting opposition and Ukraine-related initiatives.
Following the ban, Lesta Games emphasised it will not profit from this decision and is prepared to face losses. The company's gaming business in Russia and Belarus is now managed by a new Moscow firm, AI Technologies, which took over 100% of the shares of Lesta Games Moscow and Lesta Games Energy on July 1, 2025.
In a surprising move, Wargaming, which had previously expanded its presence in the gaming industry by acquiring various studios, decided to support Ukraine and left the Russian and Belarusian markets. The company's decision led to the introduction of the mobile version of World of Tanks, World of Tanks Blitz, in 2013.
Roman Makarov, a lawyer, stated that within the games created by Lesta Games, a fundraiser was announced for the 'Fatherland's Memory' fund, which helped World War II veterans in Russia and Belarus.
Igor Krivosheev, who was appointed as the General Director of AI Technologies, also heads AO "Property Management", which earned ₽392 million last year. The court satisfied the General Prosecutor's lawsuit, seizing the three companies in favor of the state. Rosimushchestvo, the founder of AO "Property Management", is yet to comment on the matter.
Lesta Games continues to dispute the allegations against it, maintaining its innocence in the ongoing legal proceedings.
Lesta Games, despite not being directly associated with Wargaming, found itself embroiled in a controversy related to technology and gadgets, as the company's games were alleged to have supported Ukraine's military efforts. The Russian Prosecutor General's Office's allegations extended to the technology sector, implicating Belarusian businessman Viktar Kisły, a co-founder of Wargaming, in the same matter.
