Russian invaders have channeled hundreds of millions of rubles into the militarization of Ukrainian youth
The Russian occupation authorities have created a large-scale system of militarization and ideological re-education of Ukrainian children in the captured territories. Hundreds of paramilitary cells are involved in preparing minors for service in the armed forces of the Russian Federation. This was reported by RBC-Ukraine (Анастасія Рокитна) citing Center of National Resistance, according to the portal PromPolitInform.
In Crimea and Sevastopol, there are 874 Yunarmiya detachments comprising about 29,000 minors. In the captured lands of Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Luhansk, and Donetsk oblasts, at least 1,290 children completed the programs of the Warrior center in 2024 alone. Researchers at the Yale School of Public Health have identified more than 210 such facilities on the territory of Russia and in the occupation zone.
Stages of Involving Children in Military Structures
The process of integrating Ukrainian youth into the Russian military machine encompasses four consecutive levels. First, toddlers are introduced to the enemy’s state symbols in kindergartens, where thematic events are held and photo shoots in military uniforms are arranged. The next step is schools, which have introduced mandatory propaganda classes and lessons featuring Russian military personnel.
The Russian Federal Agency for Youth Affairs allocated 878 million rubles to support controlled universities and 69 million rubles for non-profit structures. In particular, the occupation organization People’s Militia of the DPR received 2.1 million rubles to develop the ARM drone operator training center. Families who refuse to send their minors to Russified educational institutions are threatened with administrative fines and the removal of their children.
Activities of Youth Organizations and Camps
From the age of eight, children can join the Yunarmiya movement, where they master tactics and handling of small arms. In April 2026, a branch of the Warrior center in the occupied Donetsk region introduced a special sniper shooting discipline. During the summer period of 2026, nearly 15,000 teenagers aged 14 to 17 are planned to pass through the network of Time of Young Heroes camps.
The final link in this system is admission to military educational institutions of the aggressor state or signing contracts with its army. To encourage graduates, 32 Russian universities provide from one to ten additional points to entrance campaign results. Law enforcement agencies of Ukraine are conducting pre-trial investigations into the activities of occupation administrations and cadet corps within the framework of criminal proceedings.
Illustrative photo: Cash (Capt), No 1 Army Film & Photographic Unit / Public domain
