Russian President Putin personally kicks off Russia’s new school year with a military-focused curriculum that includes handling Kalashnikovs, hand grenades, UAV operations, and battlefield first aid, while also pushing a skewed historical narrative of Ukraine. The curriculum’s objectives include instilling a martial mindset and reducing training timelines for future mobilization, according to the British Defense Ministry’s intelligence update.

The ministry tweeted:

• 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. Russian President Vladimir Putin personally held an open lesson with 30 schoolchildren on the first day of term. 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. Pupils may also be visited by Ukraine veterans.
• 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 introduction of UAV operations indicates their evolving importance on the battlefield and the lessons learnt about these systems directly from the conflict in Ukraine.

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