Russian schools have begun teaching students how to operate drones for combat purposes, including missions designed to destroy German Leopard tanks and French CAESAR howitzers.
According to a January 17 report by The Moscow Times, educational institutions across 39 Russian regions allocated over 500 million rubles ($4.8 million) in 2024 for drone piloting and related training programs.
Expanding Military Education
The report revealed that schools have purchased a range of advanced technologies, including drones, 3D printers, virtual reality headsets, and flight simulators. These simulators are specifically designed to replicate combat scenarios, such as dropping explosives from drones.
For instance, a St. Petersburg children’s center requested that its training program include scenarios for targeting German Leopard 1A5 tanks and French CAESAR howitzers.
This initiative follows Russian President Vladimir Putin’s directive to integrate drone-related courses into high school military training programs.
In 2023, the basics of combat drone operations became part of the standard curriculum for military training classes in Russian schools.
Putin has framed this push as a form of “early career guidance” that will benefit the country. By 2030, Russia aims to train over a million specialists in drone operation and development through the federal project Advanced Technologies for Unmanned Aerial Systems.
Militarization of Education
The militarization of education in Russia is not limited to drone training.
Schools and kindergartens have reportedly pressured children to record video messages for soldiers on the frontlines in Ukraine and to participate in collecting supplies for troops.
