Putin turns to 'military education' for schoolgirls in bid to win war against Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin is making sure that all hands are on deck in his ongoing fight against Ukraine. After introducing military lessons in schools and making kindergarteners wear camouflage uniforms, Moscow has taken a step forward by including young girls in the war.

In 19 months of the battle, Russia has focused largely on training and enlisting its male population. But as the conflict rages on with no conclusion in sight, schoolgirls aged 15 and 16 in the Primorsky region are now being asked to take part in "military-patriotic education". 

So far, 75 girls have been taught the basics of military training, including drills and tactical fire. The first "female session" took place at the Avangard centre, according to Mirror UK. Addressing the female audience, senior education official Oksana Novikova said: "Love of the Motherland, patriotism, and responsibility have always been instilled in young people, regardless of gender." She further encouraged them by saying, "You are the first in our female team, so I want to wish you good luck, patience and, of course, unlock your potential - go for it."

Russian officials speculate that an additional 300 girls and 1,000 boys will be taught the five-day courses by the end of 2023. Amidst this, several defense organisations have also witnessed a surge in admissions. The membership figures of Putin's Yunarmia, also known as the Young Army, have risen to 1.4 million despite facing accusations of attempting to militarise Russia's youth.

Beauty queens turn to guns in Belarus 

The move is akin to neighbouring Belarus, where beauty pageant queens have been enlisted in order to "inspire" fellow women to become a part of the fight. Women who participated in the Miss Belarus 2023 pageant were mandated to attend a similar training. Sharing her experience, Miss Top Model of Miss Belarus 2023 winner Nadezhda Tolstikova said that she learned various skills required on the battlefield.

"The impressions are simply amazing, I've already practiced shooting, I've shot with a rifle, and now it's just...the smell of gunpowder...definitely, I shall return to shooting," she said. According to Colonel Sergei Grebennikov, deputy commander of President Aleksandr Lukashenko's internal troops, the event aimed to add feminine power to the military. "They will see with their own eyes what our strong, respectable guys are capable of," he claimed.