Russia's Ongoing Push for Military-Style Education: A Disturbing Trend
Russian schools are embracing a more disciplined approach From uniforms to military training, children are exposed to new experiences As textbooks change, they learn to assemble guns and gain skills that could prepare them for future army service
Russia's playgrounds are transforming into military training grounds. From schools spanning the Pacific to the Black Sea, young children in nursery grade don uniforms and participate in marching exercises. Additionally, older students are receiving instruction on skills such as digging trenches, throwing grenades, and live ammunition shooting.
Glorification of military service is occurring in schools throughout the nation. "Voluntary companies" comprised of teenagers are being established, and the national curriculum is being modified to prioritize the defense of the motherland.
Russia's public schools have experienced an escalating militarization after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which has been instigated by the Moscow government rather than a genuine surge of patriotic sentiment.
Oliver Weiken/picture alliance/Getty Images
Fresh progress on the southern front is being signaled by Ukrainians amidst a relentless counteroffensive. The scale of the investment is substantial, with Education Minister Sergei Kravtsov revealing that approximately 10,000 "military-patriotic" clubs now exist in Russian schools and colleges. Furthermore, a staggering quarter-of-a-million individuals actively participate in these clubs.
These clubs form one component of an extensive initiative that encompasses a comprehensive revamp of the school curriculum. Obligatory courses on military-patriotic principles are offered, while revised history books highlight notable accomplishments of the Russian military.
Changing textbooks
In August, President Vladimir Putin sanctioned a legislation that implemented a compulsory curriculum called "Essentials of Homeland Security and Defense" in schools. Following this, the Education Ministry advocated for additional components within this program, such as visits to military facilities, engaging in "military-sports games, interactions with military personnel and veterans," and lessons focused on drones.
High school students will receive instruction on using live ammunition solely at the firing line, under the supervision of experienced military unit officers or instructors, as stated by the ministry.
According to a document from the Education Ministry found by the Russian independent media outlet Important Stories, the program, currently in its testing phase this year, aims to cultivate an appreciation and acceptance of the military uniforms, rituals, and combat traditions among students. It is planned to be implemented in 2024.
Russian state media RIA Novosti shows photos of a new history book with a chapter on the "special military operation," Russia's name for its war on Ukraine.
The Crimea Bridge is now featured on the cover of the updated edition of the standard textbook, History of Russia, alongside a new chapter specifically dedicated to the recent history of Ukraine. The revised edition includes sections titled "History Falsification," "Resurgence of Nazism," "Ukrainian Neo-Nazism," and "Russia's Heroic Nation."
Putin has consistently misrepresented the Russian incursion into Ukraine as a "special operation" aimed at safeguarding Russian-speaking individuals from genocide by "neo-Nazis."
An erroneous section alleges that Ukraine knowingly expressed its intention to obtain nuclear weapons and states that "unprecedented sanctions have been imposed on Russia, as the West is making every effort to undermine the Russian economy."
The book seems to aim at fueling resentment among Russian children by emphasizing historical grievances and highlighting a struggle for the nation's very existence, which is a recurring theme in the state media circulated daily in households throughout the country.
President Putin has taken it upon himself to spearhead a drive to instill patriotism in Russian schools. During a recent event at the Kremlin, he shared with a group of children a poignant anecdote about his grandfather's letter to his father, who was a soldier fighting against the Nazis in World War II.
"Defeat the scum!" he had instructed him, as per Putin's account.
Continuing, Putin stated, "I came to understand the reason behind our victory in the Great Patriotic War. Individuals with such a mindset can never be vanquished. We were completely unconquerable then, just as we remain today."
Children taught to assemble guns
An extensive survey by CNN of local and social media in Russia found that children as young as seven or eight are receiving basic military training.
In July, children in Belgorod took on call-signs, with one choosing "Sledgehammer," and participated in various exercises which involved handling automatic weapons, assembling a machine gun, and navigating an obstacle course. Belgorod's Governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov, proposed the idea of regularly conducting exercises with schoolchildren and pre-schoolers.
Dozens of children, appearing to be of the age of around seven or eight, paraded in army and navy attire in Krasnodar during May. Some of them held mock automatic weapons while they passed by dignitaries seated on a podium.
During a parade organized in Vologda, a young child saluted and informed an official, "Comrade parade commander! The parade is prepared. I am Commander Uliana Shumelova."
From Sakhalin in Russia's Far East to Yeysk on the Sea of Azov, similar scenes have unfolded. A mixture of excitement and confusion is noticeable among the children. In Yeysk, a young pre-schooler took charge of leading the border guards' march, while his companions chanted rhythmically: "One, two, three. Left, left, left!"
The majority of participants in these parades don military uniforms of varying kinds, yet their attempts to synchronize their steps often fall short. It is quite common to see them clutching pictures of revered Russian military heroes.
The celebratory aspect of the "Special Military Operation" in Ukraine, as referred to by the Kremlin, is also reflected in the symbolism involved. In Astrakhan, young children attending nurseries proudly donned uniforms and played with toy vehicles proudly displaying the letter Z, which serves as a propagandist symbol to express solidarity with the ongoing war in Ukraine.
School children are given a talk by a soldier from Russia's army.
Municipal Educational Institution "Ilyinsky House of Children's Creativity"
The Ministry of Defense has increased its efforts to engage with schools through a highly publicized initiative known as the Christmas Tree of Wishes program. This program, comparable to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, has received active participation from the Minister himself, Sergei Shoigu.
As part of this program, Shoigu extended an invitation to a 9-year-old girl named Daria from Udmurt to attend the Victory Day parade in Moscow in May. Additionally, other children had the opportunity to visit military helicopters and explore the Air Defense museum.
Next generation being prepared for army service
In an effort to support the war, children in Russia are actively encouraged to contribute in practical ways. A program initiated by the ruling United Russia party in Vladivostok involves school children sewing pants and caps for soldiers, using a special party-inspired pattern.
In Vladimir, children in labor lessons are sewing balaclavas for the military as part of a campaign titled "We sew for our men."
At a technical school in Voronezh, students were assigned to create mobile stoves and trench candles for the Russian military.
Disabled teenage girls in Ussuriysk were enlisted to sew "Friend or foe" headbands and bandages for the Northern Military District.
In Buryatia in the Russian Far East, orphans diligently sewed good luck amulets for soldiers participating in the Ukraine conflict.
As part of a wider initiative to foster patriotic unity in support of the Ukraine campaign, various activities, including letter-writing campaigns, have gained attention in regional media. A local news outlet in Chita proudly reported that even five-year-old boys from kindergarten participated with great confidence, carefully coloring fighter images before sealing them in triangular envelopes.
From left, Activity levels in 2023 and 2021.
Planet Labs PBC/Middlebury Institute
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Teenagers are encouraged to participate in Youth Military Sports Games, where they can compete against one another. Recently, the district final of these games was held in the Orenburg region. A total of 180 athletes from 14 teams, including those from the illegally annexed regions of Ukraine, took part in a range of challenging competitions. These competitions included activities like grenade throwing, drill training, overcoming obstacle courses, assembling a Kalashnikov assault rifle, organizing military equipment, and participating in a military history quiz.
The Defense Ministry aims to foster a spirit of cooperation, support, and ethical values while also preparing the younger generation for military service in the Russian Armed Forces.
In addition, the military also visits schools. In one instance, children from Buryatia recounted a visit by a injured soldier who claimed to have engaged in battle against Polish mercenaries in Ukraine. The soldier asserted that the Ukrainians were being coerced into fighting and did not have a desire to engage in combat.
Several teachers who were not supportive of the changes have been dismissed, but it is unclear how many. Following criticism from pro-war activists, the director of a school in Perm resigned. She had hesitated to include classes on the SMO.
Assessing parents' sentiments towards the implementation of a more militaristic curriculum is also challenging. While some parents have expressed their opposition, the majority seem to be in favor of this military-patriotic campaign, according to public opinion surveys.
According to a survey conducted by state news agency RIA Novosti, 79% of parents are in favor of exposing their children to war-related videos. Social media comments indicate that a significant number of Russians perceive their country as being surrounded and alienated by antagonistic forces. Consequently, the prevalent belief is that Russia must prioritize self-defense. This influential narrative, consistently emphasized by the president and state media, is now being integrated into the country's educational system.
