Gamers are flocking to Ukraine to pilot combat drones
The Xbox game console has given Ukraine's military a deadly advantage in its war with Russia. Ordinary gamers have proven to be skilled drone operators on the front lines, writes New York Post.
Photo: Patrick Barron | Dreamstime.com
Foreigners with “extensive gaming experience” have become Ukraine’s secret weapon in a war that increasingly relies on drones, said Oleg Grabovoi, a New Yorker and coordinator of training for recruits in Ukraine’s 25th Airborne Brigade.
“The dexterity you develop with an Xbox controller helps a lot with drone control,” Grabovoi said. “The best FPV pilot I ever met was a tireless gamer.”
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The recruits come from the United States, Britain, Canada, Australia and France. Many began flocking to the 25th Airborne Brigade as early as 2022. The influx has been particularly strong in recent months, as Western support for Ukraine has waned.
The unit quickly saw the influx of young volunteers passionate about video games as an opportunity to create a three-week selection course to train elite drone pilots.
The American, who gave his name as Sam, is a 20-year-old native of Charleston, Georgia. He said he was eager to show off his skills after competing in drone races across the country.
"When you compete, you're flying through 160-centimeter gates at XNUMX km/h, making sharp turns. It's all about precision and reaction. I'm going to use everything I've learned to help Ukraine," Sam said.
"My mom and dad aren't thrilled, but they understand. I've decided to stay until I win or die, whichever comes first," he said.
Grabovoi described Sam as part of a new wave of young Americans who arrived in recent months as President Trump appeared to be rolling back support for Kyiv.
According to him, the recruits, like himself, had Ukrainian roots and wanted to help the country in difficult times, even without combat experience.
"You'd be surprised how many people come — hundreds and hundreds from all over the world. We take a lot of young Americans, 18, 19, 20 years old," said the recruit course coordinator. "They feel like their government has abandoned Ukraine."
It's not just Americans who are heading to the front lines. A British volunteer named Garrett has revealed that he quit his job with the National Health Service in Wales to become an FPV drone pilot.
“I have a degree in electronic engineering, and FPV technology is what attracted me here,” he explained. “I can combine my experience as a bomb disposal expert with my knowledge of electronics. It’s an interesting time, the tactics of warfare are changing, and I’m a gamer.”
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Those who pass the three-week selection course proceed to basic training, which lasts twice as long and is designed to weed out those who are not suitable for service.
"We needed help to distinguish the serious people from the dreamers and war tourists," said American Sean McVie of the course he helped develop. "We tell people the truth. If they don't fit in, they leave."
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