A massive allegation was shared by Belarus' senior Ministry of Defense official, Alexander Ivanov, last week, as he claimed that Pokemon GO has been spying on the country masquerading as a game. It is important to note that Pokemon GO was no longer available in Belarus when Ivanov made this controversial claim against the AR game and its creators including Niantic Labs, The Pokemon Company, and Nintendo.
It was revealed by Ivanov that the famed mobile application gathered military secrets from the Eastern European country which is known for its close ties to Russia.
Belarus' Ministry of Defense Official Claims Pokemon GO Spied on Them
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Japan Forward shared a new report about a September 12 statement from Ivanov, where the Ministry of Defense officially made a bold statement about Pokemon GO's use for espionage in Belarus. It was further shared by Ivanov that Pokemon GO was used in the country to gather Belarusian military secrets and confidential information, during its previous run.
According to Ivanov, the "highest" concentration of Pokemon spawns was in an airbase near Minsk, Belarus' capital and largest city.
This concentration was used to gather Belarus' aviation information, said Ivanov, and he further added that using Pokemon GO with its camera feature can also be considered espionage. Despite these controversial claims, Ivanov did not provide any evidence to support it.
Pokemon GO Long Suspended Russian, Belarusian Operations
Back in 2022, Niantic made a statement against Russia as it denounced the country's attack against Ukraine, and this also included a suspension of Pokemon GO in Belarus.
This latest statement by Ivanov was revealed to be a follow-up on the recent incident in Belarus, where it arrested a Japanese language instructor in the country for suspected espionage. The report further claimed that this adds fuel to the ongoing anti-Japan propaganda by Belarus.
Pokemon GO and Others Pulling Out of Russia
Despite being an augmented reality game and has mostly been for the young crowd and niche users, Pokemon GO made a statement back in 2022, being among those who immediately pulled out its services in Russia, and later in Belarus. This was after the transcontinental country launched an attack against its neighboring country, best known as the 'Russian Invasion of Ukraine.'
However, Niantic Labs, Nintendo, and The Pokemon Company were not alone in their disapproval of Russia's horrendous move, as they were joined by the likes of Apple, Google, LG, Samsung, and more. Furthermore, renowned technology and software suppliers also showed support for Ukraine with their import bans against Russia which significantly hindered their access to technology.
Belarus has seen different moves from tech companies where some have imposed bans and restrictions against them for their brandished support against the aggressors in this conflict. Despite Pokemon GO's suspension of its Belarus operations two years ago, a state official made a new controversial claim against the game, also having an issue with Japan after recent issues in the country.