Image: Edited photo of Yevgeny Prigozhin at a Wagner Group recruitment center
Amid high losses in Ukraine, the Russian Wagner Group has recently attempted to launch massive recruitment campaigns in Russia. This desperation for soldiers has only become more apparent and raises questions about Wagner Group’s capabilities, following announcements that it has halted recruitment from prisons.
The Wagner Group has attempted to expand its online presence on the Russian internet, through a series of online competitions and advertisements. Wagner Group opened a competition in Moscow for merchandise, where participants could receive Wagner themed merchandise if they took a photo of themselves next to a physical Wagner Group billboard, many of which have recently appeared in Russia. The photo that received the most views on social media would be rewarded a large prize. Participants were instructed to collect their awards at a recruitment center, but this was later changed to a delivery. Additionally, Wagner group has run ads on pornographic sites such as PornHub and XVideos.
The head of the Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin has stated that it aims to recruit 30,000 soldiers by mid-May.
Wagner Group has opened many recruitment centers in Russia. As evidenced by videos and images, these so-called recruitment centers are often singular desks with two representatives. The opening of these centers was first announced in February 2023, but full lists were not released until March. There are approximately 73 of these recruiting desks of the Wagner group in sports and clubs and gyms across Russia.
Rural areas of Russia have been targeted for recruitment in Wagner’s mobile recruitment campaign. Starting in April 2023, mobile recruiters have been driving vast routes across Russia in a bid to increase recruitment.
In Russia, information based on open sources can provide an estimate that there are approximately 180 recruiters for Wagner Group in Russia, divided into the following:
— At least 146 recruiters in gyms and other sports clubs
— 25 regional representatives
— Four general recruiting accounts with an unknown number of persons behind each
— At least two mobile recruiters, true number likely higher
Resorting to massive recruitment campaigns and unconventional methods put Wagner’s future capabilities in serious question. The size and scale of the new campaigns targeting all areas of Russia indicate a significant lack in manpower, and an urgent need for new recruits.