Russia transports Luhansk school students to Siberian military range for “young fighter” course

Ukraine's Luhansk Oblast chief reported that Russian forces relocated pupils from occupied Bilovodsk to a military range near Novosibirsk, Russia, for intensive military training.

Sep 3, 2024 - 06:00
Russia transports Luhansk school students to Siberian military range for “young fighter” course

add new post so-called dedication ceremony students milove secondary school become members russia's paramilitary organization yunarmia occupied sorokyne luhansk oblast april 2023 lug-inforu 1715183098_453651_42

On 2 September, the head of the Luhansk Oblast Military Administration, Artem Lysohor, reported that Russian forces had transported school students from the temporarily occupied town of Bilovodsk in Luhansk Oblast to a tent camp near Novosibirsk, Russia.

Russia’s militarization of children in the occupied territory is part of a wider Russification campaign.

According to Lysohor, the students, who were there for over a month, underwent a “Serve Russia” training program at the Russian military range. They were given a “young fighter” course, where they learned combat skills, under the instruction of Russian special forces and tank unit personnel.

Russians to train schoolchildren from occupied Luhansk for war against Ukraine

Lysohor stated that Russian experts in “patriotic education” were also involved, with a particular focus on older students who are expected to join the Russian army within a year or two.

Earlier, Lysohor had reported that the so-called “Luhansk People’s Republic” – a Russian-run terrorist organization controlling occupied Luhansk Oblast – had issued an order restricting the travel of collaborator officials who have access to highly important or top secret information. These individuals would undergo a 35-day screening process by the FSB and Russian internal intelligence before being allowed to leave.

Related:

You could close this page. Or you could join our community and help us produce more materials like this. 

We keep our reporting open and accessible to everyone because we believe in the power of free information. This is why our small, cost-effective team depends on the support of readers like you to bring deliver timely news, quality analysis, and on-the-ground reports about Russia's war against Ukraine and Ukraine's struggle to build a democratic society.

A little bit goes a long way: for as little as the cost of one cup of coffee a month, you can help build bridges between Ukraine and the rest of the world, plus become a co-creator and vote for topics we should cover next. Become a patron or see other ways to support.

Become a Patron!