Schoolchildren in Russia will learn to handle rifles, operate UAVs – UK intel

With the help of a new curriculum at schools, Russia is imposing a new view of the history of Ukraine and introducing military skills to reduce training timelines for onwards mobilization.

The UK Defense Ministry said this in an intelligence update posted on the social platform X, Ukrinform reports.

It is noted that Russia’s new school year has begun with a new curriculum incorporating both military skills and the Kremlin’s view of the history of Ukraine.

It is underscored that topics in the updated national history exam include “Crimean reunification with Russia” and the “Special Military Operation’” in Ukraine. Russia’s parliament approved the curriculum last year.

One element, the "Basics of Life Safety", is aimed towards senior students and includes a basic military training module. This will include handling Kalashnikovs, the use of hand grenades, uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) operations, and battlefield first aid.

“The new curriculum serves three objectives: to indoctrinate students with the Kremlin rationale for the ‘Special Military Operation’, instil students with a martial mindset, and reduce training timelines for onwards mobilisation and deployment,” the report says.

It is noted that the introduction of UAV operations indicates their evolving importance on the battlefield and the lessons learnt about these systems directly from the conflict in Ukraine.

As reported by Ukrinform, the UK Defense Ministry earlier said that the Russian intelligence services are using malware, referred to as Infamous Chisel, to target applications used by the Ukrainian military with the aim of stealing military information.