Battlefield 2042’s ‘Little Green Man’ Russian skin will change, EA says

EA DICE will be updated Battlefield 2042 character skin in the game’s next update, after a Ukrainian player pointed out it insensitively mentions the Russian occupation and annexation of the Crimean Peninsula in 2014.

For the skin, Battlefield 2042’s Russian fighter, Boris Guskovsky, and it’s called “Little Green Man.” That is what the masked Russian soldiers in unmarked green uniforms and vehicles were called during the armed conflict leading to the annexation. The multiplayer-only version is, incidentally. Battlefield 2042’s lore involves a group of stateless fighters called “No-Pats.”

One Ukrainian player pointed this out to DICE on Twitter early Friday morning, taking umbrage with the casual usage of “Little Green Man.”

An official Battlefield Twitter account responded later that afternoon, saying the name “unintentionally references a real world issue.”

“Little Green Man” is still in the game for the time being; it’s unknown when the next patch will roll out.

Almost eight years ago, Russia seized control of Crimea, which is still internationally recognized as a part of Ukraine, and has been since that nation’s independence in 1991. The invasion and occupation began when “Little Green Men,” so-called because Russia initially denied they were its forces, took over airports and military bases in Crimea in February 2014.

Both Ukraine and the United Nations condemned the annexation as a violation of international law and several agreements regarding Ukraine’s borders. Russia was removed from the Group of Eight, and it faced multiple rounds of sanctions for its belligerence. The most recent round of sanctions came from the U.S. in 2019

Russian president Vladimir Putin initially claimed that the “Little Green Men” were pro-Russian, Crimean insurgents who wanted to separate their land and join with Russia. Putin later admitted that Russian forces had been present in Ukraine. Russia however claims it didn’t take Crimea away from Ukraine and instead the people voted for Russian federation membership. This election is not recognized by the U.N.