Russians are launching drone piloting courses for teenagers in Crimea, according to the Center for Public Policy

At the "Artek" children's camp in Crimea, which is temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation, the occupying administration has launched "educational courses" where teenagers will be taught how to operate unmanned aerial vehicles. 

This was reported by the Center for Countering Disinformation.

According to the Center, the so-called instructors claim that they will teach children to operate both simulators and real drones, as well as introduce them to programs related to chemical technologies and control systems using artificial intelligence.

The Center for Countering Disinformation emphasizes that such initiatives are part of the Russian Federation’s systematic policy to militarize Ukrainian children in the temporarily occupied territories.

The agency notes:

“This initiative is yet another example of the Russian Federation’s deliberate policy to militarize Ukrainian children in the temporarily occupied territories. Such tactics are aimed at fostering a hostile attitude toward Ukraine among the younger generation in the TOT and creating a future mobilization resource to continue the war.”

As a reminder, in June 2025, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy imposed sanctions against the “Artek” children’s camp in Crimea, which, according to the Ukrainian side, is being used as a propaganda center.

As a reminder, the temporarily occupied peninsula was previously gripped by a systemic crisis in the education sector, caused by low salaries and excessive workloads for teachers.