Putin signed a law in August creating a new required course in “Fundamentals of Security and Defense of the Motherland.”
In July, the defense ministry approved high school-age lessons on how to operate assault rifles, combat drones and hand grenades. They will be introduced across Russia next year.
Barbieri believes the drone lessons are in response to Ukraine’s extensive use of drones to disrupt and damage Russian locations.
At younger ages, children as young as seven are learning how to assemble machine guns.
The closer equivalent existed since 2005 and did a lot to prepare the Russians to the invasion, as they would often paint Putin’s opponents as Nazis controlled by the West and attack them.