Putin expands youth militarisation programme for long-term war in Ukraine – ISW

Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) have noted that the Kremlin is expanding its programme to promote military service among youth, including in occupied Ukrainian territories, in preparation for long-term operations in Ukraine and potential future armed conflicts with Western countries.

Source: ISW

Details: ISW has observed that Kremlin ruler Vladimir Putin is intensifying efforts to expand military patriotic education programmes for youth in Russia and the occupied Ukrainian territories ahead of the Kremlin’s "Year of the Defender of the Fatherland" in 2025.

Putin approved four instructions for the Russian government, including the following orders for:

Establishing and expanding a network of "military sports camps" to promote military service among youth;

Expanding the Kremlin's "Roads of Victory" programme;

Creating an online platform for organising so-called military patriotic education programmes for Russian youth;

Converting one children's "health camp" to a year-round operation.

Quote from ISW: "The Kremlin's 'Roads of Victory' programme is aimed at 'foster[ing] patriotic feelings in modern children and youth" and offers free excursions to Russian cultural and historical sites of 'military glory' for Russian children and youth."

Details: Analysts also note that the Kremlin has previously utilised the Avangard military sports camps to militarise Ukrainian youth and instil Russian cultural and historical narratives.

ISW adds that Russia seems to be expanding the network of these and similar camps throughout the country as part of its long-term strategy to strengthen its armed forces.

The Kremlin is also planning to expand and elevate the status of other youth "military patriotic" organisations, such as Yunarmiya and the Movement of the First, as part of efforts to militarise Russian youth.

In addition, Moscow is using its Time of Heroes programme to appoint veterans of the war in Ukraine to public office and militarise Russian society as a whole.

Putin has declared 2025 as the "Year of the Defender of the Fatherland", signalling his intention to centre Russia's political and ideological priorities for the year on veterans and the further militarisation of Russian society.

Quote from ISW: "The Kremlin likely intends to leverage these military-political organisations to encourage and elevate the prestige of military service among Russian youth and society as the Kremlin continues to plan for its long-term war effort in Ukraine and possible future armed conflicts with Western countries."

To quote the ISW’s Key Takeaways on 21 December:  

• Russian leader Vladimir Putin continues to expand Russia's network of military-patriotic education programs for youth in Russia and occupied Ukraine ahead of the Kremlin's upcoming "Year of the Defender of the Fatherland" in 2025.
• Ukrainian forces conducted drone strikes against Kazan, Republic of Tatarstan on 21 December.
• Russian forces recently advanced in Kursk Oblast and near Pokrovsk and Kurakhove.
• Ukrainian forces regained lost territory near Pokrovsk.
• The Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) continues to exalt its efforts to establish the Unmanned Systems Forces following Russian leader Vladimir Putin's official order to establish the new combat arms branch.

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