Ukraine's Defence Intelligence Says 7-Year-Olds in Crimea Now Train on Military Drones

Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence Unit announced on October 30 that Russian forces in occupied Crimea are integrating military combat skills into the education of children and young adults. The intelligence agency reported that students are being trained to pilot drones and handle assault rifles as part of standard regional activities.

In late October, approximately 50 students aged seven to 18 in Sevastopol advanced to the regional stage of a competition. The event was organized by the Russian Movement of the First and a group identified as the Drone Racing Federation. Participants in these competitions use drones and hardware that belong to the Russian military.

The training extends to higher education institutions in the region. University students are instructed on drone operation using flight simulators and physical aircraft. The equipment utilized in these lessons includes specific gear currently employed by Russian troops in the war against Ukraine.

Beyond aerial technology, Russian authorities have introduced ground combat drills in schools throughout occupied Crimea. During these classes, children learn to fire weapons, disassemble Kalashnikov assault rifles, and march in formation upon command. The curriculum also includes military games and challenges that involve participants who have served in the conflict.

Ukrainian intelligence officials stated that the Russian government is establishing an environment where military technology becomes a standard feature of childhood. They noted that the goal is to maintain control over Crimea while raising a generation that accepts the war and military training from school desks as normal.

Occupation administrators are also recruiting individuals for Russian security agencies and the Unmanned Systems Forces. Former combatants are being placed in senior roles within local administrations. Schools in the region have installed memorial plaques honoring Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine, and students are required to learn songs by Russian pro-war artists.

Previous reports in March indicated that Russian military personnel with combat experience are leading these educational efforts. The classes are part of a federal course titled Fundamentals of Security and Defence of the Motherland. Similar drone operation modules have been introduced in schools in Kursk, Nizhny Novgorod, and Vologda oblasts.

In Vladivostok, authorities planned to integrate drone topics into mathematics and physics curricula. The Defence Intelligence Unit said these measures serve to justify Russian aggression by normalizing warfare for the next generation of residents in the occupied territories.