11 September 2026
(ILLUSTRATION: Intent/AI)
<span><span><span><span><span><span>In occupied Crimea, the Russians have enlisted teenagers as young as 14 to participate in drone-piloting competitions as part of the so-called “Crimean Drone League.” Such events are part of a systematic effort to militarize Ukrainian children in the occupied territories with the aim of eventually recruiting them into the Russian army.</span></span></span></span></span></span>
<span><span><span><span><span><span>This was reported by Suspilne.Crimea.</span></span></span></span></span></span>
<span><span><span><span><span><span>The competition took place in Simferopol at the Simferopol Technical College of Transport and Infrastructure. </span></span></span></span></span></span>
<span><span><span><span><span><span>The “Crimean Drone League” is a new format of team competition that involves university and college students, as well as high school students. Officially, the project is intended for young people aged 14 to 35, but the average age of the finalists was only 17.</span></span></span></span></span></span>
<span><span><span><span><span><span>Additionally, in</span></span></span></span></span></span>occupied Crimea, authorities are officially demanding lists of students scheduled for expulsion, as well as high school graduates who failed this year’s entrance exams. They likely plan to use these groups of young people to recruit them into contract service in the Russian army.
Earlier, a 16-year-old teenager was detained in occupied Sevastopol. The boy is accused of “terrorist activity.”
Thelocal minor was detained for allegedly following Telegram channels belonging to a terrorist organization banned in Russia. Later, the boy allegedly filled out an application form and contacted the organization’s coordinator on his own.
After that, according to Russian law enforcement officials, the teenager was tasked with photographing various sites in occupied Sevastopol.
Юлія Калабайда