As the Standard reports, the Russian mercenary force Wagner is turning to a new target group when recruiting: young men with a “gamer background”. Given the heavy losses the group suffered during the war in Europe, the search for new recruits is expanding to more and more areas. All social media platforms are also used.
Social Media Platforms: From Radicalization to Recruitment
From Facebook to TikTok – social media platforms are increasingly being used for radicalization and recruitment. Both regular armed forces and mercenary troops are looking for new soldiers. According to Verstka, the Wagner group is aimed primarily at men between the ages of 21 and 35 who do not have to have a military background. In return, the mercenary group promises appropriate training, modern equipment and health and life insurance.

Screenshot Telegram of the channel “Verstka” is operated by the organization of the same name “Verstka”. It is an independent media company in Russia that covers social and political issues. Here it is translated:
“The Wagner Group has begun recruiting players without military experience.
The Wagner Group is looking for technicians and operators for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and is ready to hire players without military experience as mercenaries, Verstka reported.
On the morning of June 19, news about the Wagner Group's search for specialists in the control and maintenance of UAVs was spread through the organization's bot in “Vkontakte”.
The news indicated that potential applicants should be between 21 and 35 years old, have good computer skills and be physically fit. It was also noted that “experience controlling flight simulators with joysticks” and a history as a gamer would be an advantage for UAV operator applicants.
“The ones who play for hours,” the message said. “Verstka” contacted the human resources manager at Wagner Group named in the message.
In addition to the usual questions about age, criminal record and illnesses, he also asked about the equipment the applicant wanted to work on. “We have two types of drones: copters and more serious devices,” said the human resources manager. He also asked about the preferred areas of operation: Ukraine or Africa. Finally, he confirmed that the lack of any experience, including military service, was not an obstacle. “That’s not a problem,” the human resources manager added. The Wagner Group is not the first company to recruit gamers for military service. The Ministry of Defense already dealt with the issue in 2020. At that time, targeted advertising for military service appeared on Facebook, encouraging people to “challenge friends offline” and “play according to real rules, without cheats and savegames.” Source: Telegram

The History of Video Game Recruitment
This approach is not entirely new. The US Army already used the video game “America's Army” to convey a positive image of the war and to attract young men to serve in the army. This game was the first large-scale use of gaming technology for strategic communications and recruiting by the U.S. government. In Germany, a Bundeswehr stand at the largest video game trade fair, Gamescom in Cologne, repeatedly attracted attention. Among other things, the game “Santrain” was presented there, with which tactical wound care can be trained.
E-sports as a recruiting platform
The Danish military has also recognized the opportunity to use e-sports as a potential recruiting platform. In cooperation with the e-sports team Astralis, tests were carried out in 2017 and 2019 to see whether gamers could be considered soldiers. It was shown that gamers are calmer under pressure and react faster than non-gamers. Gamers also proved to be suitable candidates in the areas of teamwork, orientation and visualization skills.
Nevertheless, Major Anders Bech, head of the Danish Ministry of Defense, emphasized that not every player can be a good soldier. A variety of skills are required for successful service in the army.
Conclusion : The use of video games and e-sports to recruit soldiers is a growing trend. While some concerns have been raised about the ethics of such practices, the increasing use of these methods by military and paramilitary organizations shows that this approach is seen as promising. It remains to be seen how this trend will develop in the future and what impact it will have on global military and security dynamics.
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