- By Shivangi Sharma
- Tue, 22 Jul 2025 11:46 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
In a chilling new revelation, an investigation by the exiled Russian news outlet The Insider has uncovered that Russian authorities have allegedly involved children and teenagers in the development of military drone technology, training them to hide the true nature of their work under the guise of civilian projects. The report suggests a disturbing trend in which patriotic education in Russia is becoming increasingly militarised, pushing youth to participate in actual war efforts in Ukraine.
According to the report, teenagers were actively recruited to model components for various unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which were later used by state-affiliated military industries. One teenage participant disclosed to The Insider, “The kids are actively involved in modelling components of systems for various drones. I know of several people at least who were modelling UAV components for major enterprises.”
The recruitment process reportedly starts with a video game called Berloga, launched in 2022, where players control “smart bears” defending against bees using drones. The game, played by hundreds of thousands of Russian youths, offers bonus points for final high school exams, incentivising participation. Officials in both countries continue to coordinate efforts to manage the aftermath of the crash and ensure the best possible care for the injured.
Teen Engineers Recruited For Drone Design
These youths, many still in school, were reportedly participating in government-sponsored technical competitions designed to identify and funnel talent into military projects. One of the most prominent of these contests is called Big Challenges, a nationwide event aiming to discover young tech prodigies for recruitment into companies, some of which are sanctioned internationally for their roles in Russia's war machinery.
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What makes this effort more concerning is the deliberate effort to conceal the military applications of the projects from public scrutiny. Students told The Insider that they were specifically instructed to invent civilian uses for their projects when presenting them in front of judges.
“When we were defending our project in the final, we were forbidden to say that it was needed for the war,” a student told the outlet. “A project must always have a dual purpose, especially when you're a school student.”
Teenagers Training Soldiers
In perhaps the most alarming revelation, one 13-year-old was reportedly tasked with training Russian soldiers in drone operations at a state-run facility. State propaganda videos have shown other teenagers assembling Geran-2 drones, Russia's locally produced version of Iran's Shahed-type strike drones, at the Alabuga industrial complex in Tatarstan.
These drones have become a key feature of Russia's air assault strategy in Ukraine, valued for their low cost and ease of production. Their widespread use began in late 2022.
The Insider’s report highlights the growing scope of child militarisation in Russia, a phenomenon where patriotic education increasingly crosses into the militaristic domain. These revelations raise ethical and legal questions about the use of minors in armed conflict efforts, especially in a country already facing global scrutiny for its invasion of Ukraine.
