Anna Hartz
In occupied areas, war often reaches into schools, homes, and childhood itself.
Education becomes a tool. Trips and camps are used to shape loyalty. This is the reality now reported from parts of southern Ukraine under Russian control.
Military Camps Disguised As Educational Program
Occupation authorities in the Kherson region are sending Ukrainian children to Russia for military-style training, according to the National Resistance Center. The latest case involves 24 teenagers who were taken to the Russian city of Volgograd under the name of an educational program called “Pride of the Nation. The Path to Development”, reports Digi24. Officials described the trip as a learning opportunity. Ukrainian sources say the real goal was very different.
The National Resistance Center reports that the teenagers were placed in the Avangard defense and sports camp. There, they received training in drone operation, basic military roles, cyber-related activities, and tactical movement. Alongside this, the children took part in daily ideological sessions. These included staged patriotic events and museum visits focused on Russia’s war narrative. Analysts say the children were taught to see war as something normal and necessary.
According to the Center, schools in occupied areas were ordered to provide a set number of children. Principals were given quotas. Parents were placed under pressure and were told participation was strongly recommended. Some families were warned that refusal could lead to problems with welfare payments, school records, or other basic services.
Also Happening in Other Regions
The Center also points to the role of Volodymyr Saldo, the Moscow-installed head of the Kherson region. His office is said to manage transport, lists of children, and coordination with Russian military youth groups. These programs are also used to promote his public image.
Similar practices are reported in other occupied regions. In Luhansk, children have been brought to religious services held close to the front line. These events combine military symbols and religious rituals and are used for propaganda footage. The safety of minors is treated as secondary.
In schools across occupied Kherson, Russian authorities are creating cadet classes linked to the Russian Investigative Committee. These programs focus on strict discipline and obedience. Critical thinking is not encouraged. Students are also taught about drones and later asked to assemble parts during school activities.
Ukrainian officials say this is organized deportation and forced indoctrination. International law bans the involvement of children from occupied territories in military programs. The National Resistance Center says these actions target young people who are not yet able to fully understand what is being done to them. Childhood is being turned into another battlefield.
Sources: Digi24
