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April 18, 2026, 9:33 a.m.
Children turned into future drone operators in Crimea
This article also available in English1
PHOTO: ua.krymr.com
In the Russian-annexed Crimea, drone operators are being actively trained, involving schoolchildren. Ukrainian intelligence has stated that such militarization of children and the development of UAV infrastructure poses a threat to mainland Ukraine.
This was reported by Krym. Realii.
According to the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, a full cycle of training and production of drones used in the war against Ukraine was created on the peninsula.
The selection of future personnel has begun in schools. Students are involved in flying UAVs through educational programs and competitions, including the "Drone League," where children learn basic piloting skills in a short time.
Last year, the project was implemented in eight educational institutions - seven of them in Simferopol and one in Simferopol district. As part of the Unmanned Technologies initiative, which culminated in a Cup competition, 192 students were trained.
According to Andriy Chernyak, a representative of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine, this is a serious threat, as Russia is systematically training the younger generation in the spirit of militarization. He noted that approaches to education have not really changed since the Soviet Union: old models of influence, similar to the practices of Octoberites, pioneers and Komsomol, are still used.
According to him, children are indoctrinated with the idea of being surrounded by enemies and the constant threat of attack, forming the belief that they must defend Russia and, in particular, the temporarily occupied Crimea.
In addition to training, the production of drones has also been established in Crimea. In particular, they produced the Sarych-2 drone, which was used at the front, although experts assessed it as a tactical-level device with limited capabilities. Other models, including the "Surprise," were also recorded, which were inferior to Ukrainian developments in terms of range and payload.
The GUR named three key reasons for this "drone boom": the need for trained personnel, the transformation of Crimea into a military foothold, and an attempt to support the region's economy through the development of the military-industrial complex.
Also in April, in occupied Bakhchisarai, the occupiers organized a ten-day military training for children and teenagers, where they were taught to shoot, fly attack drones, and undergo paratrooper training.
