Putin expands youth military programmes for future conflicts
Vladimir Putin continues to expand a network of patriotic-military education programmes for youth in Russia and occupied Ukraine, in preparation for the upcoming "Year of the Defender of the Fatherland." He has issued four orders.
Analysts from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) indicate that the Kremlin is expanding the programme to popularise military service among youth, including in the occupied territory of Ukraine, with a view towards prolonged military actions in Ukraine and potential future armed conflicts with Western countries.
The report noted that Putin continues to develop a network of so-called youth military-patriotic programmes in Russia and the occupied territory of Ukraine, ahead of the Kremlin-announced "Year of the Defender of the Fatherland" in 2025.
Putin's orders
He approved a list of four orders. These are:
- the creation and development of a network of "military-sport camps" to popularise military service among youth,
- the expansion of the Kremlin's "Roads of Victory" programme,
- the creation of an online platform for organising so-called military-patriotic education programmes for Russian youth,
- converting a children's "health camp" to operate year-round.
As reported by the Ukrainian Pravda portal, the "Roads of Victory" programme aims to "fostering patriotic feelings in modern children and youth" and offers them free tours of Russian cultural and historical sites.
Experts add that everything suggests that Russia is also expanding its network of camps across Russia "to plan for its long-term war effort."
