Russian Propaganda Mistakes The Sims 3 For SIM Cards In Alleged Ukrainian Nazi Paraphernalia

A posed photo of what the Russian government claims to be confiscated "Ukrainian Nazi paraphernalia" was released yesterday, with a fairly humorous mixup. The photo, which purportedly shows items found at the apartment of a cell of neo-Nazi assassins ordered by Ukraine to kill a pro-Putin TV personality, includes three copies of The Sims 3 expansions. Many online believe the Russians, who purportedly staged the photo, meant to get three SIM cards but there was a miscommunication.

The Elon news is crowding out a significantly funnier story: Russia staged a fake bust of alleged Ukrainian Nazi assassins, and the guy tasked with assembling the paraphernalia for the photo bought three copies of The Sims instead of three SIM cards https://t.co/J6Cf2Ioegz

— Tom Gara (@tomgara) April 25, 2022

So, Russia says they stopped an assassination on some Russian lad by Ukrainian assassins

They shared pictures of the 'proof' they found

Passports, Drugs, Nazi stuff
And the sims 3 with 2 expansion packs

I guess when planting evidence they said, place 3 sim cards but heard diff pic.twitter.com/N2QKPtCTHw

— DANNYonPC (@DANNYonPC) April 25, 2022

Russian security services claimed to have exposed and brought down the group of assassins on Monday, and Vladimir Putin even mentioned the bust in a speech. Part of the Russian state media’s narrative about the ongoing war in Ukraine is that the Ukrainian government is run by neo-Nazis, and this latest propaganda move is reportedly a way that Russia is trying to cement that false narrative.

A “raid” on the apartment was shown on Russian state TV yesterday, featuring heavily armed FSB officers putting half-naked men in handcuffs and a camera show slow-panning over the collection of items, including The Sims games. Other items found at the apartment include a picture of Adolf Hitler taped to a speaker and a baggie of methamphetamine.

📽️A raid on an alleged Western plot to kill a pro-Putin journalist in Russia appeared to have been exposed as mere propaganda last night after video on state TV showed a clumsy attempt to frame the alleged attackers

Read more 👇https://t.co/xage4N1EPV pic.twitter.com/tJm8pc0mpP

— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) April 25, 2022

FSB: "Buy a couple of swastika thingies and some sim-cards and place in a picture, ok?"
Guy: heads for nearest GameStophttps://t.co/Y0mZulTrJl

— Misswee (@missswee) April 26, 2022

Posters on online platforms like Twitter and Telegram speculated about how the three copies of The Sims came to be a part of the Ukrainian Nazi starter pack that Russian security services assembled. Some theorized that the inclusion of The Sims must have been due to sloppy communication between various Russian spies.

One Twitter user, @ChrisO_wiki, pointed out that in the photo there are three copies of Sims 3 expansion packs, all of which would be unplayable on their own without the base game. @ChrisO_wiki speculated that the Russian spy responsible was unsure whether the written instructions they were given (which were probably “Sims x3”) referred to the number of games or the type of game, and so checked both boxes.

This bizarre story about Russia seemingly mistaking SIM cards for the PC game The Sims 3 has been causing a lot of amusement. I don't think it's down to stupidity, though – here's a suggestion for how this may have happened. /1 https://t.co/yLtRE6BFqr

— ChrisO (@ChrisO_wiki) April 26, 2022

Others pointed out that the haul also included an odd green wig and a book with an inscription reportedly signed “Unclear signature.”

Russia's staged arrest of a Ukranian Nazi attack includes literally writing "Unclear Signature" as a signature and 3 copies of the Sims 3, probably meant to be 3 SIM cards.

This sounds like something from the future sequel of "The Interview" pic.twitter.com/IPJZe1usLs

— 🇺🇦 Christopher F. Arnold🐞 クリ 🌰 🇺🇦 (@Kurisama91) April 26, 2022

I genuinely believe this is a dumb FSB officer being told to get 3 SIMs.

— Eliot Higgins (@EliotHiggins) April 25, 2022

Alongside those attempting to break down the contents of the photo, many others expressed surprise at the incompetence displayed in the apparent mix-up.

They were also likely told to display some SIM cards.

Related: Are we SURE Russia has nukes? pic.twitter.com/GF1eBXxeQO

— Jack Eversfield (@SicAndTirade) April 25, 2022

Russia planting fake evidence and planting copies of the sims 3 instead of 3 SIM cards was not on my 2022 bingo card

— shroomgod (@shroomboii) April 26, 2022

As the Russian propaganda war with Ukraine continues alongside the war on the ground, some expect there will be many more attempts to frame Ukrainians as Nazis — and, probably, more face-plants like this one.

Despite the oddness and outlandishness of the narratives pushed by the Russian government, however, many commentators have exhorted audiences and journalists around the world to watch and take seriously what happens on Russian state media channels because it does have an impact on Russian public opinion and war plans.

I repeat it again and again: one of the reason why Western politicians and expert circles misunderstand Russia is that they don’t watch RU propaganda channels, made for domestic audience https://t.co/6pvVuEvb3e

— Iryna Matviyishyn (@IMatviyishyn) April 19, 2022