New history book, drone training, uniforms: Putin is now also militarizing his schools

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In Russia, war propaganda is on the daily agenda. Whether on television, in the news or in Kremlin speeches. Even children are not spared from this. In August, Vladimir Putin (70) signed a law introducing a new mandatory course in schools. This is called: “Foundations of security and defense of the homeland.”

The Ministry of Education then promoted drone courses and excursions to military units, CNN reports. About 10,000 ‘military-patriotic’ clubs were also formed in schools and universities. Education Minister Sergei Krawtsow announced that around 250,000 students were involved. But that is not enough.

Putin launches new history book

Since the beginning of September, grade 11 students have been learning a new history book at Putin’s request. It contains a chapter devoted to the Ukrainian war. It includes, among other things, a section entitled: “Russia is a country of heroes.” It is also alleged that Ukraine has expressed a desire for nuclear weapons.

Putin even addresses the students in the book personally. The ruler claims in a quote that the “collapse of the Soviet Union was the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the century.”

Children wear – and sew – military clothing

However, militarization does not only start in the eleventh grade, as a CNN survey shows. In Krasnodar, primary school children in army uniforms marched to a stage. Some carried imitation weapons. In Belgorod, children are said to have taken part in exercises where they learned to use automatic weapons and assemble machine guns. In Astrakhan, even toddlers wore uniforms. They also played with vehicles emblazoned with the letter Z – the symbol expressing support for the war in Ukraine.

The children not only wear army clothing, they also make it. According to CNN, schoolchildren in Vladivostok are said to have sewn trousers and hats for soldiers. In Vladimir, balaclavas were made for the army. A technical school in Voronezh also assigned its students to produce mobile ovens and trench candles for the army.

Military sports games for teens

While children sew, teenagers participate in military sports games. According to CNN, last year 180 athletes from 14 teams competed in a competition final in the Orenburg region. The program included grenade throwing, an obstacle course, mounting a Kalashnikov assault rifle and a military history quiz.

The Ministry of Defense sees in the Games “a sense of mutual aid and comradely support” – and denounces that the aim is “to prepare the young generation for service in the armed forces of the Russian Federation.”

Students are trained to become drone pilots

As Deputy Trade Minister Vasily Osmakov explained, Russia will need about a million drone pilots by 2030. These are apparently trained in schools. As the Ministry of Defense has announced, drone training in schools and universities will now serve the “military-patriotic education of young people.”

The training programs teach area reconnaissance and “fighting the enemy”. At Putin’s request, they succeeded. In April he told the Tess news agency: “Of course I support proposals so that children can learn from school to fly, assemble and design drones.”

It is unclear what teachers and parents think about this

However, it is unclear how parents feel about the militarization of their children. According to a survey by state news agency Ria Novostis, about 79 percent of parents were in favor of their children being shown videos about the war. However, it remains controversial to what extent one can believe the research.

CNN also found that some teachers who spoke out against the restructuring were fired. In an interview published by the Russian-language media Meduza, a teacher explained: “At the moment no one is forcing us to go on an excursion to the Central Museum of the Great Patriotic War. But everything the state offers schoolchildren goes somewhat in this direction.” (Mrs)

Source: Blick