By the end of 2024, Russia’s Ministry of Education reported that 38.65% of citizens had been engaged in the national patriotic education system. Among them were more than 1,750,000 children involved in the activities of the “Yunarmiya” youth movement.

Although patriotic education is presented as a comprehensive development of one’s personality, in practice it is often reduced to basic military training. A militaristic understanding of patriotism is reinforced by an extensive system of military-patriotic clubs, camps, and training sessions, many of which are privately operated.

The heads of these clubs independently design their training programs and often purchase weapons, equipment, and machinery at their own expense. They are convinced that learning military skills has a positive effect on the formation of children’s civic awareness and helps the state resist external enemies.