AboutWhat does the meme depict?

The "No Russian" meme originates from a controversial level in the 2009 video game 'Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2'. In this level, players participate in a fictional terrorist attack at a Russian airport. The meme specifically draws from a scene where the character Vladimir Makarov instructs his co-conspirators with the phrase 'Remember – no Russian,' indicating they should not speak Russian during their assault to disguise their true identities. This phrase has been adapted into various meme formats on the internet, typically as a snowclone to express concealed intentions or identities within contentious or deceptive scenarios.

OriginWho did it first?

The meme traces back to the release of 'Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2' on November 10, 2009. The game was available on PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3. It features a mission dubbed "No Russian" where players are put in the shoes of an undercover CIA agent participating in a mass shooting at a Russian airport to maintain his cover. The mission’s intent, orchestrated by the antagonist Vladimir Makarov, was to precipitate a war between Russia and the United States by staging the attack as a ploy by American extremists. The notoriety of the mission and Makarov's pre-mission instruction, 'Remember, No Russian', which he says to ensure the attackers don't reveal their Russian ties and thus mislead authorities into blaming the United States, sparked significant media controversy and discussions online. More about the context of this video game mission can be explored in depth at the Call of Duty Wiki. Watch the mission gameplay and the specific scene in context here.^[1]

Origin: 2009