Russian students will resume their military training in schools from September 2023, according to Russian Education Minister Sergey Kravstov, quoted by TASS Agency and the British military information services daily bulletin. According to the latter source, it is about the return of a program from the Soviet era (which ended in 1993) with contingency plans for a chemical or nuclear attack, first aid and experience in handling and firing a Kalashnikov.
This training, which the Russians already tried to resume after the invasion of Crimea in 2014, “probably means equip students with military skills as they approach enlistment age and increase acceptance of mobilization and enlistment campaigns,” according to the British. “This initiative is also likely to be part of a wider project to instill in the Russian people an ideology of patriotism and trust in public institutions.” to add. The Russian Ministry of Defence, which supports the initiative, calls for at least 140 hours to be allocated to this course during the academic year.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the demobilization of students from the so-called People’s Republics of Donetsk and Lugansk, who had been recalled before their annexation by Moscow. According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, their return to schools will be organized. The militias of the two regions were integrated into the Russian Armed Forces after the incorporation of these entities into the Russian Federation, on September 30, following internationally unrecognized referenda.
save the kids
Half of the children who fled the war to live in eight countries in Europe (Portugal is not part of this survey) feel anxious and worried about their future, according to a report by the organization Save the Children . The data covers 1,000 Ukrainian children living in Finland, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania and Sweden.
According to Save the Children, 50% of children under the age of 16 suffer from anxiety, with the number rising to 78% for children between the ages of 16 and 18. Similarly, 44% of children say they feel lonely and 55% worry about their future, while 57% say they are a little or a lot less happy since leaving Ukraine.
Since the February 24 invasion, some 7.7 million refugees have left Ukraine and sought shelter in Europe – an estimated 40% of them children. “Despite the warm welcome from families in Ukraine, this report shows that many children remain anxious and lonely. It is really concerning that a quarter of the children we heard about were unwilling or unsure about enrolling in a school in their community.” This is especially so as many indicate that they would like to have friends, play sports or learn the local language. Schools can provide all of this for children,” said Save the Children director Ylva Sperling, quoted in the press release.
Source: DN
