Russian dictator vladimir putin is expanding the network of military-patriotic education programs for youth in russia and temporarily occupied Ukraine. The Kremlin is probably trying to raise the prestige of military service in this way, as it plans its long-term military actions in Ukraine and possible future armed conflicts with Western countries.
This was announced by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
In particular, on December 20, putin approved a list of four instructions for the russian government, which include:
- an order to create and develop a network of "military sports camps" to popularize military service among young people;
- expanding the Kremlin's "Roads of Victory" program;
- creating an online platform for organizing military-patriotic education programs for russian youth;
- transferring one children's "health camp" to a year-round operation.
It is noted that the Kremlin has previously used the Avangard military-sports training camps to militarize and indoctrinate Ukrainian youth with russian cultural and historical narratives, and appears to be expanding the network of these and similar camps across russia as part of its long-term efforts to build up the armed forces.
The Kremlin is also preparing to expand and elevate the status of other youth military-patriotic organizations, such as Yunarmiya and Dvizhenie Pervykh, with the aim of militarizing russian youth. In addition, it is using its Heroes’ Time program to appoint veterans of the war in Ukraine to public positions and militarize russian society as a whole.
On December 20, putin announced that the Kremlin would consider 2025 as the “Year of the Defender of the Fatherland,” indicating that he intends to focus russia’s political and ideological priorities for 2025 on russian veterans and the further militarization of russian society.
"The Kremlin likely intends to use these military-political organizations to encourage and increase the prestige of military service among russian youth and society, as the Kremlin continues to plan its long-term military efforts in Ukraine and possible future armed conflicts with Western countries," the report says.
As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, as of September, Ukraine was investigating 11 cases related to the militarization and ideological indoctrination of Ukrainian children in the temporarily occupied territories.
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