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Russia Doubles Military Training in Schools, Expands Drone and Combat Instruction for Children
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Russian schools will significantly increase mandatory initial military training within the "Fundamentals of Security and Defense of the Homeland" subject starting September 1.
Sergey Kravtsov, the Minister of Education, announced that this specific section will now consume 50% of total classroom time, a sharp rise from the previous 20%, according to The Moscow Times on June 25.
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The updated program incorporates the study of unmanned aerial vehicles alongside mandatory field training exercises. This shift expands on the Soviet-era initial military training lessons that were restored in classrooms following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
High school students are currently taught the fundamentals of drill and firearms training, combined-arms combat tactics, wartime first aid, methods of defense during various attacks, and the handling of firearms and hand grenades.
In April, authorities began discussing the isolation of initial military training into an independent subject. The current plan outlines 64 academic hours of instruction per year for students, which is nearly double the 34 hours currently allocated to the broader security and defense subject.
A pilot version of this program will launch in September 2026 for students in grades 9 through 11, typically aged 14 to 18, and colleges across ten regions, including the Altai Krai, Astrakhan, Volgograd, Kemerovo, and Novosibirsk Oblasts, the Altai Republic, North Ossetia, Yakutia, the Nenets Autonomous Okrug, and occupied Crimea. If deemed successful, officials plan to expand the curriculum nationwide.
Ekaterina Razzakova, a deputy of the Moscow City Duma, explained that the initiative essentially represents the return of pre-conscription training in an updated format, placing a specific focus on survival skills and drone operation.
Larisa Sulima, the First Deputy Minister of Education for the Moscow Oblast, added that the course will integrate an "historical and patriotic component" to address ideological objectives because "Western intelligence services work very well against Russia."
Previously, Viktor Vodolatsky, the Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on CIS Affairs, advocated for making initial military training universal. He stated there is a necessity to prepare Russian children for a war with NATO immediately after primary school, referencing predictions by Western politicians regarding a possible escalation by 2030.
Beyond renaming safety classes and reintroducing military training, authorities regularly organize the "Zarnitsa 2.0" games. These events train children to escape from captivity, storm positions, counter enemy hackers, navigate combat zones, operate combat drones, and practice propaganda techniques.
More than 1,000 Russian schools across 77 regions were identified as manufacturing hubs where children produced military equipment and clothing for Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
According to an investigation by Verstka and the Ne Norma project, at least 1,017 schools integrated the production of military gear directly into their curriculum, primarily tasking students with these "combat assignments" during mandatory "Technology" lessons.
The items manufactured by minors ranged from trench candles and camouflage nets to specialized clothing, including socks, underwear, and balaclavas.
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