FPSRussia is a popular YouTube and Twitch channel featuring firearms and explosives. The videos feature Kyle Lamar Myers, an American born in Mason, Georgia, playing the role of Dmitri Potapoff, a heavily accented Russian from Moscow. Each video on the channel generally has Myers explaining the characteristics of the weapons he will use in that video, before he demonstrates their abilities on targets such as fruits, drink bottles, zombie targets, and photos of Justin Bieber in his earlier videos. The FPSRussia channel reached the 1-million-subscriber mark in June 2011. As of July 30, 2020, his channel has garnered over 6.8 million subscribers. Myers has used largely varying pieces of equipment along with weapons that have been featured in his videos such as a golden AK-47, an armored troop carrier, a.50 BMG rifle, and a Bofors 40 mm automatic anti-aircraft cannon. Myers ceased producing new videos in 2016.
History
Before Myers started FPSRussia, he ran a channel named "klm5986". His relationship to Joseph Sacco helped boost his career initially. He also had a YouTube channel called "FPSKyleletsplays" under the name Erik Hunt. His YouTube channel often featured videos from other YouTube personalities, such as xSocrates. He later wanted to show how guns worked in real life and to compare them to how they are portrayed in video games, films, and television shows. He got the idea for a Russian accent while working at a car dealership. One of his co-workers was Russian and he took an interest in impersonating his accent. His uncle was also a prankster and used to use the accent while talking to Kyle when he was five years old. He used the accent to create the character Dimitri and what followed was him filming himself shooting guns on his family farm in Georgia. Myers also runs a third channel known as FPSRussiaTV. After a nine-month hiatus, on January 10, 2014, FPSRussia returned to YouTube. The channel has been inactive since April 2016.
Appearances in other media
Due to the success of FPSRussia, Myers opened up a second channel, MoreFPSRussia. Myers collaborated with Epic Meal Time in July 2011. The collaboration has earned over 8.793 million video views on YouTube as of January 2, 2020. Myers' character hosted the live fire section of Machinima.com Prime's web series, The Controller: . On October 29, 2012, Myers had a cameo appearance as his character, Dmitri, in the live-action trailer directed by Guy Ritchie. After an announcement video in December 2012 and a successful Kickstarter campaign, FPSRussia released "FPS Russia: The Game" on the App Store for iOS devices in March 2013 with developer Zaah. In 2014, FPSRussia was listed on NewMediaRockstars Top 100 Channels, ranked at #78. Since 2010, Myers has been a host on the PKA Podcast. He co-hosts with WoodysGamertag and MurkaDurkah.
Death of Keith Ratliff
On January 6, 2013, Keith Ratliff, a member of the FPSRussia's production team, was found shot dead in his own gun store. Ratliff was responsible for obtaining the firearms used in the videos. Following Ratliff's death, the production of FPSRussia's videos went on hiatus until February 19, 2013. In March 2013, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said it was still investigating. However, as there have been no official updates since the initial reports following Ratliff's death, the case has become the subject of numerous conspiracy theories.
ATF raids
On March 29, 2013, Myers' Georgia residence was searched by upwards of 40 members of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives alongside officers from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. The investigators also searched Myers's father's nearby farm, a frequent filming location for FPSRussia. ATF spokesman Richard Coes said the justification for the search was "that was using explosives and getting paid for it via YouTube." In August 2017, Myers' residence was again raided after Myers was alleged to have received 25 grams of butane hash oil through the mail. The federal courts prosecuted on the grounds that illegal drug possession while owning a firearm is a federal offense. Myers was arrested for felony possession of a restricted substance with intent to distribute and 50 of his weapons were confiscated under a federal law that prohibits illegal drug users from possessing firearms. He later pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana and Butane Hash Oil, with all other charges dismissed. On June 19, 2019, Myers was sentenced to two years' probation and two months in prison as well as a fine in the amount of $7500. Myers speaks about these matters in YouTube videos. In these YouTube videos he reveals that these charges were a plea deal and claims he did not have the intent to distribute.
