From Controller to Combat: How Ukrainian Soldier Mastered Skills Through Video Games
A Ukrainian soldier credits video games for honing his combat skills during the ongoing war against Russia, defying his mother's belief that he was wasting time
Highlights
A Ukrainian soldier attributes the improvement of combat skills in the ongoing war to video games. As a drone operator, this soldier finds the experience gained from gaming invaluable when it comes to piloting remote-controlled aircraft.
The soldier's mother initially questioned the worth of video games; however, he now acknowledges their significance in warfare. Despite the somber nature of war, morale remains strong among soldiers on the front lines, and the gaming industry consistently lends its support to humanitarian causes. A recent testament to this is the provision of World of Warcraft's pet bundle for relief efforts in Ukraine.
A Ukrainian soldier defending his homeland acknowledged that video games have contributed to the combat skills he now utilizes daily. This unique viewpoint on the realities of war emerged during the 18th month of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
According to US officials, the war has already claimed the lives of at least 70,000 military personnel from both sides and resulted in over 40,000 civilian casualties as of May 2023. These numbers are in addition to the numerous Ukrainian war refugees displaced since Russia's invasion of the Eastern European country in February 2022.
Despite the grim reality, morale on the front lines appears to be reasonably high, as indicated by Ukrainian drone operator Mykhailo, known as Joker. In a recent interview with Reuters, the 25-year-old soldier nostalgically shared how his mother used to warn him that playing video games would not benefit him. However, now that he operates first-person view (FPV) drones on a daily basis, he questions whether her prediction was accurate. He believes that his gaming experience has helped him master the operation of remote-controlled aircraft. With a small quadcopter in hand, he rhetorically asks, "If this isn't useful, then what is?"
Alongside flying drones using a virtual reality headset and joystick-equipped controller, Mykhailo also regularly experiments with his own designs for FPV drones. Currently stationed in the Zaporizhzhia region in southeastern Ukraine, he is actively involved in the defending forces' counterpush against the Russian invaders. Although Mykhailo, who did not provide his last name, has found a real-life application for his gaming skills, he likely would have preferred his mother to be right about video games, especially considering the significant loss of his compatriots in the 18 months of fighting in Ukraine.
The gaming industry's influence on the ongoing conflict goes beyond just FPV drone operation. In spring, Ukraine's military found a creative way to use the Steam Deck, repurposing it as a remote controller for heavy-caliber turrets to reduce operator exposure.
Moreover, the gaming industry has been actively supporting humanitarian aid to Ukraine since the war began. A recent example is the World of Warcraft pet bundle for Ukraine relief, which Blizzard announced in collaboration with actress Mila Kunis in July.
