Russia intensifies militarization of youth in occupied territories of Ukraine through educational institutions
Kyiv • UNN
Russia has launched a new wave of militarization in all temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, using educational institutions and local administrations. The occupiers combine "patriotic" events with covert mobilization schemes to fill the shortage of manpower.
Russia has launched a new wave of militarization in all temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine – from educational institutions to local administrations. This is reported by UNN with reference to the Center for National Resistance (CNR).
Details
According to CNR analysts, the occupiers combine "patriotic" events in higher educational institutions with hidden mobilization schemes, trying to fill the shortage of manpower for the war against Ukraine.
In the temporarily occupied territories of Kherson Oblast, the "Defenders of the Fatherland" foundation organized another "courage lesson" at the local agricultural university. The meeting was attended by a "military correspondent of the Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper", a "SVO veteran" and the sister of a deceased Russian serviceman.
The event organizer, Deputy Head of the regional branch of the foundation Alena Izmayeva, stated that similar meetings are held "in all educational institutions of the region."
The Center for National Resistance reported that during such "lessons", representatives of the occupation structures purposefully work with students of conscription age.
They are offered to take academic leave or leave their studies early to "sign a contract and prove patriotism in practice." Cases have been recorded where university administrations handed over lists of students to military enlistment offices "for participation in youth initiatives," which are actually used for recruitment.
At the same time, in the Crimean peninsula, the Russian authorities changed their approach to recruiting contract soldiers.
According to "Crimea.Realities" with reference to local human rights activists, the occupiers abandoned public advertising of the service - banners, videos and outdoor agitation disappeared. Instead, recruitment is carried out "address-based": postmen and representatives of local administrations are forced to distribute mobilization brochures and conduct individual "conversations" with men who are on internal "lists of potential contract soldiers".
Universities, schools and administrations are turning into centers of military propaganda.
Such practices are already being recorded in Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Luhansk regions and Crimea.
"Under the guise of "patriotic education", Russia is preparing young people for war, using educational institutions and civilian infrastructure as a tool for hidden mobilization," the CNR added.
Recall
the Kremlin included the occupied territories of Donbas, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions in the Southern Military District, creating the basis for forced mobilization. Putin announced year-round conscription from 2026 and introduced electronic summonses, increasing the risk of illegal conscription of Ukrainians.