Soon after the Wagner Group advertisements recruiting soldiers for the Russian war on Pornhub went viral, the pornographic video-streaming website removed them from the platform.
According to reports, the recruitment ads were removed from the website as the platform does not allow “any politically related advertisements”.
Recruiting Soldiers for Russia on Pornhub
Russian paramilitary organization, the Wagner Group, had reportedly been placing ads on the adult website Pornhub to recruit soldiers to fight for Russia in the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War.
Reports suggest that the Wagner Group allegedly used the adult video platform to show video advertisements throughout the Russian version of the site, encouraging viewers to “stop jerking off” and join the group instead.
The ad features a blonde woman twirling a lollipop in her mouth, with a voiceover that states: “We are the best fucking private army in the world. We are recruiting fighters from all regions of Russia. Do not jerk off, but go to work in the PMC.”
The ad is only visible to users who have confirmed their identity through the social media platform Vkontakte.
PMC Wagner is advertising on @PornHub. The advertisements tells the watcher to stop masturbating and to join Wagner Group.
This advertisement is only viewed from individuals who have logged into PornHub via VK. pic.twitter.com/vj35a4LbK2
— vx-underground (@vxunderground) March 15, 2023
Russian paramilitary organization – The Wagner Group
The Wagner Group, also known as PMC Wagner, is a private military company that has been active in conflicts around the world, including the war in Syria and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
It has been linked to Russian businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin, known to have close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The group has been accused of carrying out a number of human rights abuses and war crimes, including using Russian prisoners as “cannon fodder” in the war in Ukraine.
The fact that the group is now turning to Pornhub to recruit new members is undoubtedly a desperate attempt. As the conflict in Ukraine continues to rage on, it appears that the Wagner Group is struggling to find recruits.
Pornhub has since removed the ad, citing its ban on political advertising. However, the fact that such an ad made it onto the site in the first place is undoubtedly a cause of concern.
Russia vs Ukraine, the conflict continues
The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine has been raging for years with no end. The situation has been complicated by various political, economic, and social factors, including the annexation of Crimea by Russia in 2014 and the ongoing fighting in eastern Ukraine.
However, in recent years, both nations are indulging in cyberwarfare with hackers launching attacks on each crucial networks and infrastructure.
The conflict began in 2014 when Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine. Since then, there has been a significant increase in cyber attacks targeting Ukraine, with many believed to be originating from Russia.
These attacks have targeted various Ukrainian organizations, including government agencies, energy companies, and financial institutions.
Among the most high-profile attacks was the NotPetya malware attack in 2017. NotPetya was a variant of the Petya malware, which encrypted victims’ hard drives and demanded a ransom for the decryption key.
However, NotPetya was different because it was designed to spread rapidly through networks, causing significant disruption to businesses and organizations.
The attack was widely attributed to Russia, and the Ukrainian government accused the Russian military of being responsible. The attack caused an estimated $10 billion in damages, making it one of history’s most costly cyber attacks.
Since then, the back-and-forth between Russia and Ukraine has continued. Russian hackers have been accused of targeting Ukrainian critical infrastructure, including power grids and water systems, while Ukrainian hackers have launched attacks against Russian targets.
In 2018, Ukrainian authorities arrested a suspected Russian hacker known as “Profexer,” who was believed to have created malware in the NotPetya attack. The arrest was seen as a significant blow to Russian cyber capabilities but did not stop the attacks from continuing.
The situation has been further complicated by the involvement of private military companies like the Wagner Group, which have been accused of carrying out cyber attacks on behalf of the Russian government. The group has also been accused of human rights abuses and war crimes in Ukraine.
The recent revelation that the Wagner Group was advertising on Pornhub to recruit new members is just the latest twist in the ongoing conflict. The fact that such an organization would choose to advertise on an adult website is certainly raising eyebrows.