Students from kursk to vladivostok Learning How to Fly Drones from the Participants of the “Special Military Operation”

In russia, the systemic militarization of school education is gaining momentum: children are being taught to fly combat drones under the guidance of the military servicemen – participants in the war against Ukraine. These are no longer isolated experiments, but part of the federal course “Fundamentals of Security and Defense of the motherland”, which focuses specifically on training drone operators.

In kursk region, which borders on Ukraine, regional authorities were among the first to announce their implementation of the federal government’s directive. Classes have already begun at School No. 23 in kursk. In the coming months, such classes are planned to be in all schools in the region.

In nizhny novgorod region, tenth of formers will be taught to assemble and operate drones directly in “Fundamentals of Security and Defense of the motherland” classes as part of the module “Military Training. Fundamentals of Military Knowledge”. According to the regional ministry of education, more than 600 schools have already been equipped with the necessary equipment, and teachers have undergone special retraining. Schoolchildren will also master their practical skills during training camps for basic military training.

vologda region is implementing the national project “Unmanned Aerial Systems”. A training center for UAV operators has been opened at the vologda technical college, and specialized clubs for assembling, designing, and piloting drones have been created in 17 schools in vologda, cherepovets, and eight districts. In 2024–2025, more than 400 schoolchildren completed such programs, and the number of state-funded places in the college’s “Unmanned Aerial Systems Operation” program doubled.

In vladivostok, the authorities plan to integrate UAV studies into mathematics and physics lessons. The pilot project will start at School No. 17, after which it will be extended to other institutions. As explained by the city administration, this is being done to develop “engineering competencies” – although in reality, it is about early specialization for the needs of the military-industrial complex.

Such massive and coordinated brainwashing of teenagers through the school curriculum clearly indicates the kremlin’s strategy: to raise a new generation of combat drone operators ready to participate in future wars. Instead of developing critical thinking or civilian professions, russian authorities are investing resources in training soldiers.