Russian authorities are using children to design and test military drones that are being deployed in the war against Ukraine. According to a report by The Insider, a Russian news outlet now operating in exile, children are first introduced to this world through seemingly harmless video games and later pulled into advanced drone competitions. The most talented students are recruited by companies tied to Russia’s defence sector.
The report claimed that the journey often begins with a game called Berloga, released in 2022. In the game, players control “intelligent bears” that use drones to fight off swarms of bees. What looks like an ordinary game, played by hundreds of thousands of schoolchildren across Russia, is actually the first step in identifying and training future drone engineers. Those who perform exceptionally well in the game receive school exam credits and can qualify for national contests like Big Challenges, which are linked to defence enterprises.
Teenagers who participated told The Insider that they were fully aware that their drone-related work could be used for war. One of them said, “We were forbidden to say that it was needed for the war, and we invented civilian applications It’s an unwritten rule I’ve observed at every competition.”
CHILDREN WORKING ON KAMIKAZE DRONES
Some teenagers are reportedly helping to build real-life drones, including deadly kamikaze models used on the frontlines. A documentary aired by Russia’s army TV channel showed teens assembling Geran-2 kamikaze drones in a massive drone-making facility. These drones are used by the Russian military in near-daily attacks on Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv.
The Geran-2 factory has been placed on an EU sanctions list and has itself been a target of Ukrainian drone strikes. The facility was shown on national television, with rows of assembled drones and teenagers assisting in their production.
One of the teenagers told reporters, “The kids are actively involved in modelling components of systems for various drones. I know of several people who were working on parts for major enterprises.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly called to increased production of drone. As the Russia-Ukraine conflict intensifies, Moscow is tapping young, talented minds to gain an edge over its rival.
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