Students in occupied Mariupol trained for war by Russian occupation authorities
Russian forces turn education into militarization program (photo: Getty Images)
In the temporarily occupied Ukrainian city of Mariupol, Russian occupation authorities systematically involve students in military training under the guise of "patriotic education," the Mariupol City Council reports.
Military training in universities
According to the center, students of the so-called Mariupol State University are given training sessions in shooting and behavior in combat conditions. Under the guise of "patriotic education," young people are taught how to handle weapons and are subjected to tactical exercises, military marches, and oath ceremonies pledging loyalty to Russia.
Hidden mobilization
Russians have effectively launched a hidden mobilization of students. In universities, young people are offered contracts for service in the Russian army.
As early as the beginning of 2026, rectors of major Russian universities were given a task: at least 2% of students must sign contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defense.
Militarization from school
In occupied Mariupol, military training begins as early as school, through units of Yunarmiya. About 6,000 Ukrainian children aged 6 to 18 have been involved in this movement.
There are already cases where, after reaching adulthood, children who underwent such training joined the ranks of the Russian Armed Forces and took part in combat operations against Ukraine.
This is not an isolated case of militarization in temporarily occupied territories. In Donbas, the right of full-time students to deferment from conscription is widely ignored — young people are sent for military training contrary to Russian legislation.
A separate direction is the abduction of Ukrainian children. According to Yale University, Russian energy giants Gazprom and Rosneft financed and provided logistics for the illegal deportation of at least two thousand Ukrainian children to camps of pro-Russian re-education.
