Russia introduces mandatory drone training in universities: training for war becomes part of education

From September 1, 2026, a mandatory basic course on unmanned systems will be introduced in all transport institutions of higher education in Russia. This was reported by the Center for Combating Disinformation.

According to the Center, the innovation will cover 19 specialized universities and 86 of their branches throughout the territory of the Russian Federation. In general, we are talking about at least 150 thousand university students, and together with colleges – more than 250 thousand young people who will be forced to master the technologies of controlling unmanned systems.

The CPD emphasizes that such changes are another confirmation of the militarization of Russian education and the preparation of young people to participate in the war against Ukraine.

“The Russian education system is increasingly turning into a mechanism for forming an obedient personnel resource for the army. Instead of developing critical thinking and professional skills, students are being trained to perform military tasks,” the Center noted.

Experts point out that the integration of military technologies into civilian education may indicate the Kremlin’s long-term strategy to build up human resources for protracted military campaigns, as well as the further blurring of the line between the civilian sector and the defense sphere.