In Russia, the mass militarization of education continues: teenagers from 8th and 9th grades are mastering the control of unmanned aerial vehicles, which, according to official goals, form "an idea of modern combat experience." As reported by the Foreign Intelligence Service, the program, launched in 2023, is aimed at preparing children for participation in armed conflicts where drones are used for reconnaissance, strikes, and killings, UNN reports.
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According to intelligence, in 2024, Russia purchased 18,000 drones for 500 schools. 8.38 billion rubles were spent on this.
By 2030, Moscow plans to provide drones to 4,872 schools and 380 colleges, as well as train a million so-called specialists in unmanned systems. Specialized centers are being created in the regions based on colleges, where, among others, teachers are taught "combat aspects," equipping classrooms, flight zones, and 3D printing sections.
In addition, in September 2024, the first official manual for studying unmanned aerial systems appeared, developed jointly with the Geoscan group, controlled by the foundation of Putin's daughter Katerina Tikhonova.
This initiative reflects the Kremlin's systemic course towards the militarization of education in the context of aggression against Ukraine. Instead of peaceful skills, Russian children are mastering killing technologies, which violates conventions on children's rights and forms a generation ready for conflict escalation.