Russia says that a web banner killing Medvedev is “extremism”

Federal prosecutors in Russia launched an investigation into a telecom website that allowed visitors to shoot a cartoon person in a business costume that resembles President Dmitry Medvedev. In the section of a new Internet tariff called Moscow the telecom provider AlyansTelekom had a banner with a Medvedev look-alike cartoon popping up from behind the red-brick Kremlin walls.

Clicking their mouse users could shoot the cartoon effigy and send up a golden halo around his head.

Senior assistant to the prosecutor of the Primorye province prosecutors' office Yelena Telegina said the office had already been informed of the website.

"An order was given to the Primorye Police Department by the prosecutor to carry out a corresponding inquiry," she said.

A leading politician for the province and ruling "United Russia" member Galust Akhoyan said the use of Medvedev's likeness in the game was unacceptable.

"Caricatures of politicians in civilized societies -- that is business as usual. But to use the head of state as a target, that is extremism," said Akhoyan.

Interestingly, computer game also gave internet users a chance to shoot other targets such as a hot air balloon, a ship and a submarine.

On the Russian Internet forums most users expressed negative attitude towards the actions of the government who seems to be degrading more and more to obsolete soviet practices. It was noted also that unlike Russian prosecutors nobody in America was concerned over similar game where people were offered to shoot George Bush jr.