By Özgür Altınbaş
Reporting for United World International, we visited many cities in Russia during 20 days, from Moscow to St. Petersburg, from Mariupol to Donetsk and from Lugansk to Crimea.
We were on the battle front, entering forbidden zones. We listened to people living every day under the sounds artillery shells. We conducted interviews with presidents and governors. We toured the grain fields subject to the Grain Agreement. We will share what we saw in a series of articles.
Our first stop is the “Wagner Center” in St. Petersburg.
Wagner, the most talked-about private military company in recent times, opened its doors to us. It is the force that defeated the army of a country equipped by NATO in Bakhmut (Artyomovsk) after a massive nine-month-long war.
Let’s get to know them better.
We boarded the night train from Moscow at midnight and after a journey of approximately 10 hours, we arrived in St. Petersburg. Despite being located close to the Finnish border, the weather in the city was warm and beautiful. The orderly streets, buildings of similar height, canals, and the sea… The city had a captivating atmosphere from the first moments. However, our primary objective was not to explore the city, but to visit the center of Wagner.
Built by Gazprom
The Wagner Center is located in the heart of St. Petersburg: A large complex consisting of two main buildings. Security measures were understandably strict at the entrance. We handed over all our metal belongings for safekeeping and passed through an X-ray machine. Our electronic devices were swiped with aluminum foil and placed in a machine. Something I had never seen before. The Russian company Gazprom had constructed the building, and while discussions were underway regarding to what purpose it would be used, Wagner decided to turn it to its headquarters. The Wagner Center, which opened in November, is still in the process of settling into the building with only 6-7 floors all set. I was told that the entire building would be in service over time.
Young man playing war game
After passing through security, we were led into a room and upon opening the door, we met an 18-year-old young man playing a war game. He was dressed in khaki-colored shirt and pants. It wasn’t particularly surprising at the headquarters of a private military company.
We bombarded the young man with questions. First, we asked him about his activities within the Center. He said that he is doing online streaming through various war games and developing software. He also shares posts related to Wagner on social media platforms.
“Wagner is very popular among young people”
One of our questions was how big the interest of the Russian youth in Wagner was. The Russian young man expressed that Wagner had a distinct style, known for their actions rather than words, and therefore have gained popularity among young people. Indeed, you realize this popularity when you see young individuals wearing Wagner patches on their sleeves or Wagner-themed shirts on Russia streets.
“New ideas appreciated”
Emphasizing the importance given to young minds developing ideas within Wagner, the young man said, “Bureaucracy, corruption, and nepotism hinder the emergence of new ideas. However, if you have an idea here, it is immediately appraised.” He highlighted the use of high technology in various fields, ranging from software development to hardware, social media usage to propaganda, where ideas come to life in this Center.
He also mentioned that being a soldier is not prerequisite to join Wagner Center. The Center represents Wagner’s slightly more civilian side, serving as Wagner’s gateway to the world. That’s why young people’s bright ideas are valued and encouraged.
A full day is reversed to your idea
Many young people come to Wagner with new ideas. It’s not just about being involved with Wagner in a military sense. Some are interested in working in areas like propaganda or software development at Wagner Center. According to the information provided to us, if you have an idea, you are given an entire day to present and develop your ideas. They said that Russian youth confidently apply to Wagner because they are given the opportunity.
“We are instilling patriotism”
We are told that the Center does not only function as a military entity but also instills patriotism and Russian traditions in Russian youth. The managers, who repeatedly state, “We are not just a military company” emphasized that they are involved in various areas within society as well.
Captured from the Ukrainian army
As we ascend to the upper floors, we encounter different things. We observed that some military equipment captured from the Ukrainian army during the war is being exhibited, materials ranging from anti-tank weapons to mines. Additionally, they also display the equipment used by Wagner soldiers on the front lines.
“We are protecting civilians from pirates”
As you may already know, Wagner is not operating only in Russia. Its most influential presence abroad is in Africa. When we inquired about their activities outside of Russia, they specifically mentioned their efforts in Africa to protect civilians from terrorist attacks and pirates.
Highly classified documents leaked from the US Department of Defense (Pentagon) revealed that the Russian mercenary company Wagner operates in Africa with greater coordination and effectiveness, while the US is losing power on the continent.
Letters from children to fathers
As we ascend to another floor, a more colorful scene unfolds before us. There is a box filled with colorful envelopes and drawings. We learned that these are letters written by the children of Wagner soldiers to their fathers. They spoke of these as a great motivation for the soldiers fighting on the front lines.
The process of being a Wagner soldier
Individuals from various parts of the world apply to be part of Wagner. The primary requirement is to speak Russian. It is necessary to prepare a detailed resume. It is also important whether have any previous experience in a military structure. If you are a citizen of NATO member countries, it is difficult to join Wagner. After undergoing a thorough examination, you will receive a positive or negative response. You will go through various psychological and physical tests. You are expected to prove your commitment to Wagner’s objectives and discipline.
Applications from various continents
Wagner’s executives mentioned that while the majority of soldiers are Russian, they receive applications from other countries and continents as well. For example, when we are at the Center, a person from Chile applied. Wagner has members from countries such as Serbia, Armenia, Kazakhstan, and Moldova.
“You are Turk, you must be knowing how to use UAVs”
On the next floor, we saw individuals operating unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). They were receiving UAV training in computer simulations. We are told those who excel in these simulations can successfully carry out UAV attacks in the battlefield.
We are asked too: “Do you wanna use it?” Whether we would like to try operating a UAV. I said “yes” and one of them, having learned that I am Turkish, made a joke: “You’re Turkish, so you must be knowing how to use UAVs”. And I took a shot. More challenging than it seemed.
Hours of practice are required to become proficient. The outcome of each training session is reported with detailed statistics. In one table, we read the names of those achieving the highest scores.