Category
Latest news

Putin Orders Kids and Parents to Compete in Nationwide Patriotic Military Games

2 min read
Authors
Vlad Litnarovych
Vlad Litnarovych
Author
Putin Orders Kids and Parents to Compete in Nationwide Patriotic Military Games
Russia’s military-patriotic movement Yunarmiya cadets and navy cadets hold a giant replica of the Soviet Flag of Victory during the 78th anniversary of the capitulation of Nazi Germany in Kronstadt on April 28, 2023. (Source: Getty Images)

Russian leader Vladimir Putin has ordered the launch of nationwide military-patriotic games called “Family Zarnitsa “, requiring parents and children to participate, The Moscow Times reported on March 11.

According to a directive issued following a meeting of the Russian Victory Organizing Committee, the Kremlin administration and the Defense Ministry must develop a competition framework involving physical, intellectual, and creative challenges for families across all regions of Russia.

“The Presidential Administration of the Russian Federation, together with the Ministry of Defense, shall prepare and submit proposals for organizing the “Family Zarnitsa” competition in all regions of Russia.

The program should include sports, intellectual, and creative competitions for families with children,” the directive states.

Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration Sergey Kiriyenko and newly appointed Defense Minister Andrey Belousov have been tasked with implementing the project and must report back to Putin by March 31, 2025.

The initiative was proposed by Deputy Defense Minister Anna Tsivilyova—who is also Putin’s niece.

She emphasized that “Family Zarnitsa” would be open to multiple generations, including grandparents, parents, children, and grandchildren. The games, she said, would not only test participants’ physical abilities but also their knowledge of Russian history and culture, as well as their problem-solving skills.

Previously, Zarnitsa games were organized by the pro-Kremlin youth movement Yunarmiya, targeting children and teenagers with the slogan: “To serve the Motherland, you must be strong and brave!” Organizers claimed the event instilled patriotism, courage, and teamwork in young participants.

In addition to launching Family Zarnitsa, Putin has ordered Russian schools and universities to include a new curriculum module on “defenders of the Fatherland,” covering both World War II veterans and participants in Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The Education and Science Ministries must implement this directive by April 30, 2025.

Putin also mandated the involvement of students in battlefield excavation projects at former World War II battle sites.

Earlier, Russian preschools marked the beginning of 2025—the year Russian leader Vladimir Putin declared the “Year of the Defender of the Fatherland"—by staging mass military-patriotic drills for young children, forcing them to throw toy grenades, crawl through snow, and weave camouflage nets.

See all

Zarnitsa (All-Union Young Pioneer military sports game Zarnitsa) was a massive children’s war game organized within the Young Pioneers organization. The game was an imitation of military actions (reconnaissance, battles, etc.) The word zarnitsa literally means “heat lightning”. The game’s rules are based on capture the flag concept. Two teams each have a base with a flag on it. Their goal is to take over the opponent’s flag and preserve their own. Every player has two shoulder straps that serve as health indicators and can be torn off by the opponents. Losing one indicates “wounded”, losing two indicates “dead”. The “wounded” players cannot run and should only walk. The “dead” players leave the game. It was intended for schoolchildren of 4–7 classes (10–13) years. A similar game, Orlyonok, was for older schoolchildren.