Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
In 2026, there have been five incidents so far compared to 12 in all of 2025.
A new school safety experiment is quietly taking shape in the Russian region of Tatarstan.
Authorities say it is designed to respond to a troubling pattern that has emerged nationwide.
The initiative shifts new responsibilities onto teachers and school administrators. Officials argue it could help prevent future emergencies involving minors.
Early warning efforts
Schools in Tatarstan have begun collecting information about students’ social media activity as part of a pilot program aimed at detecting what officials describe as destructive content.
According to the Russian online newspaper Mash, teachers will be expected to monitor student chats, blogs, Telegram channels and personal accounts.
Parents of teenagers in at least three schools have been asked to submit phone numbers and links to their children’s social media profiles. Mash reported that access to this data will be restricted to school administrators, homeroom teachers and staff at a regional Center for Monitoring Destructive Materials.
School officials believe earlier identification of suspicious or prohibited material could reduce the risk of violent incidents. They say monitoring will focus on prevention rather than punishment.
Rising security concerns
The experiment follows a series of attacks at educational institutions across Russia. Mash reported that five such incidents were recorded in 2026 alone, compared with 12 cases last year.
Among the incidents cited were attacks in Voronezh, Nizhnekamsk and Ufa, as well as two serious cases in Krasnoyarsk Krai. In one, a schoolgirl stabbed a classmate. In another, a student doused a peer with gasoline and set him on fire.
Regional authorities have not indicated whether the pilot will be expanded beyond Tatarstan. For now, officials describe the project as a test case shaped by recent events and growing concern over student safety.
Sources: Mash, Digi24
