Schools in the Russian Federation have prepared a new wave of militarization of children

Russian authorities continue to intensify their war propaganda among children, using the school system to exert ideological influence and militarize the younger generation.

This was reported by the Center for Countering Disinformation.

Starting in 2026, Russian schoolchildren will be required to watch a series of 83 so-called “patriotic” short films. Some of them will be dedicated to participants in the war against Ukraine.

According to Sergei Kravtsov, head of the Russian Ministry of Education, these films will be shown to students starting in sixth grade. They are planned to be included in the “Conversations About What Matters” classes and the “Spiritual and Moral Culture of Russia” course.

Kravtsov stated that such films are intended to help instill “traditional values” in children and show them “role models.”

The Center for Countering Disinformation notes that forcing children to watch films promoting war is part of the Kremlin’s long-term policy to militarize Russian youth.

According to the Center, the Russian authorities are thus attempting to instill in teenagers a distorted perception of reality, in which aggressive war is viewed as the norm and participation in it as the right path in life.

As Intent reported, the occupying authorities have planned to make changes to the school curriculum and the organization of the educational process in the temporarily occupied territories. Starting September 1, schools in the temporarily occupied territories will introduce a course titled “Spiritual and Moral Culture of the Russian Federation.”

Also, prosecutors in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea recently filed a case in court against the leaders of the “Union of Crimean Border Guards,” the “Varyag” club, and the maritime training center of the same name. They are accused of preparing Crimean children for service in the Russian Federation’s army.

Ірина Глухова