Russians train college students to fly drones in Crimea

In the occupied Crimea, the invaders are scaling up a drone operator training program for young people.

This was reported by the Crimean Wind Telegram channel.

In early January, in occupied Simferopol, the invaders organized a propaganda meeting at the College of Radio Electronics. The event was aimed at forming a base of future FPV drone operators to further attract students to the ranks of the Russian armed forces.

"According to our subscribers, on 13.01.2026, an event was held at the Simferopol College of Radio Electronics to create a personnel reserve of fpv drone operators and attract students to learn to operate fpv drones. The event was held by a certain Boyko Igor, who offered to undergo six months of training in fpv drone control, after which it would allegedly be possible to serve under contract as a UAV and UAV operator instead of military service," the statement said.

Simferopol College has become the tenth specialized institution to implement such a program. The military recruitment system covers not only vocational education institutions but also secondary schools on the peninsula, which indicates that young people are being systematically prepared for war.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's Special Operations Forces have conducted precision strikes on enemy logistics facilities in the temporarily occupied territories. In Donetsk region and the occupied Crimea, drones destroyed warehouses with ammunition and fuel and lubricants.

According to the press service, on the night of January 8, units of the Special Operations Forces used FP-2 attack drones to hit targets in Donetsk region and occupied Crimea. In particular, on the territory of the occupied peninsula, the SSO drones hit a rolling stock with fuel and lubricants on the fuel rack of the Hvardiysk oil depot.

In addition, in Donetsk region, in Hirne, the Ukrainian military hit a warehouse with ammunition and material and technical means of one of the units of the 51st Combined Arms Army of the Russian Federation.

Катерина Глушко