Be prepared to kill or die for Russia. Militarization of children in occupied Crimea

Russia has developed an immense system of youth and children’s military organizations, conducting «patriotic training» of children, including Ukrainian children on occupied territories of Ukraine. Children have been taught to fight. They have been brainwashed by Russian propagandist clichés. 

Russia has increased budgetary expenses on youth policy by 50 times during last ten years – from 1.13 billion Rubles in 2014 to 56.1 billion Rubles in 2024, according to the data of the Center of Public Education «Almenda». 

When we decided to summarize all children’s military organizations in occupied Crimea, we could not imagine their scale. Blue, red, green and black «caps»; classes of Cossacks and cadets; clubs, centers and schools of military and patriotic training, founded by various retired officers… All of them prepare children to kill and die for Russia. 

«Young Army». Crimean office

Full name of Crimean «Young Army» is as follows: «Crimean regional office of All-Russian military patriotic children’s and youth movement «Young Army». 

Movement «Young Army» has been compared with Hitler’s «Hitlerjugend». It has been founded upon initiative of Russian Minister of Defense Shoigu and blessing of Putin in 2016. Its founders are All-Russian organization of veterans of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and DOSAAF (Volunteer Society for Cooperation with the Army, Aviation and Navy). «Young Army» is the main instrument for militarization and military training of children in Russia. There are one million three hundred thousand members of «Young Army». They are taught to fight and are planned to be involved into liquidation of emergency situations. The main attribute of «Young Army» is red cap.

Headquarters of «Young Army» have been set up in all regions of the Russian Federation. At the beginning its office in occupied Crimea has been headed by Oleg Mykolayovych Kryvoruchenko. Before the Russian occupation of Crimea, he has been known as blacksmith and author of metal sculptures. In 2014, he has headed the 11th company of illegal military unit «Self-Defense of Crimea». He died in December 2020, as the Center of Journalist Investigations reported. 

46 years old Sergii Oleksiyovych Gavrylchuk is current head of Crimean «Young Army». He is also head of DOSAAF office in Simferopol district, teacher of sports in school # 1 in Gvardiiske village and «member» of village council of Gvardiiske from Russian political party «United Russia».

In December 2023, the European Union, Switzerland and Ukraine imposed sanctions on Sergii Gavrylchuk. 

Sevastopol regional office of «Young Army» has been headed by 62 years old Reserve First Rank Captain Kovalenko Volodymyr Vladyslavovych. He was born in Luhansk. He received budgetary money for «Young Army» as well as money from Putin’s Fund of presidential grants. 

In 2023, Sevastopol «Young Army» received over 2 million Rubles for its project «Youth educational marathon «Know how to rescue». As project description said, teenagers and students would be taught how to deliver first medical aid during «possible emergency situations» in Sevastopol as well as in other Russian regions, including so-called Donetsk People’s Republic, Luhansk People’s Republic, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions». 

Volodymyr Kovalenko has been also the director of Sevastopol «School of future commanders». In 2023, this organization received grant for its project «Symbols of state – through centuries». 

«School» spent 1.6 million Rubles to make 14 meters long flag of Russia and demonstrate it in Crimea.

In 2024, «School of young commanders» received almost three million Rubles from Putin’s Fund for its project «Under flag of great state». Children will be taught history and victories of the Russian Black Sea Fleet. It is interesting what their «teachers» will tell about rapid destruction of Black Sea Fleet by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, including missile cruiser «Moscow». There will be also practical part of the project – so-called «maritime training». Children will be taught how to work with semaphore, navigation systems etc.

In 2021, the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine imposed sanctions on Kovalenko. In June 2023, Ukrainian court sentenced him in absentia to 10 years imprisonment. In summer 2023, the European Union, Switzerland, UK and the USA also imposed sanctions on Kovalenko. 

«Krympatriotcenter»

Full name of this governmental educational institution is as follows: «Regional center on training for military service and military patriotic education». The Center has been founded by occupation «authorities» of Crimea on June 15, 2015. 

«Krympatriotcenter» prepares teenagers for military service, opens sections in schools on initial military training and organizes military patriotic camps for children. Students of Black Sea High Navy School and participants of the Russian war against Ukraine have been teachers of the center. Budget of Crimea has already allocated almost 150 million Rubles for projects of the Center. It has been registered in Simferopol, in 9 floor building at 60 rokiv Oktyabrya street, 13, apt. 64. 

In 2023, the USA introduced sanctions against «Krympatriotcenter» for its support of Russian efforts to undermine Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity by militarizing school teenagers. 

53 years old Lieutenant Colonel Dmitrii Aleksandrovich Polkovnikov has been the head of «Krympatriotcenter» since 2022. He was born in Russian city of Kostroma. He has served in the Russian Navy. For his participation in the first Chechen war, he was awarded «Hero of Russia». 

He has been the head of Lomonosovsky district of Leningradska oblast until 2017. He left this position upon his own will, as he explained. However, his dismissal has been likely caused by huge public scandal. Journalists of Russian media 47news revealed that he has been among founders of private military company Longifolia Corp, registered in Panama offshore. The company proposes «legitimate governments its assistance in securing public safety under emergency situations». It also delivers services of «armed support» for ships in Indian and Atlantic oceans threatened by pirates. It can manage the security of oil and gas extracting platforms. Representatives of criminal groups of Sankt Petersburg have been partners of Polkovnikov in the company. 

Dmitrii Polkovnikov has been financial director of Longifolia Corp from June 2014 until June 2015. He owned 19% of its shares. Russian prosecutors confirmed information disclosed by journalists. They identified several non-declared bank accounts of Polkovnikov. 

Political career of Polkovnikov has been ruined. But the Russian Ministry of Defense appointed him as the Head of Cadet Corps of the Military Institute of Sports of the Ministry of Defense. 

In 2020, Polkovnikov founded and headed non-governmental «Union of Heroes of City Hero Sevastopol». Now this organization is being liquidated. 

In December 2023, the European Union and Switzerland introduced sanctions against Polkovnikov for «militarizing» children on temporary occupied territory of Crimea. He is still not sanctioned by Ukrainian authorities. 

«Union of Cossack youth of Crimea and Sevastopol»

«Union of Cossack youth of Crimea and Sevastopol» is the unit of «Crimean Cossack District of Black Sea Cossack Troops».

This organization conducts military patriotic competitions and clubs, shooting tournaments, military patriotic races and sports games under title «Young defender of Motherland», «Serving in glory of Motherland». Children learn to shoot, assemble Kalashnikov rifle, throw a grenade etc. 

Besides that, «Union of Cossack youth» actively involves children into assistance of the Russian Armed Forces. Children manufacture trench candles and camouflage nets for Russian soldiers, participants of the Russian invasion into Ukraine. 

The Union holds propagandist events like «lessons of courage», meetings with «heroes of special military operation».

«Union of Cossack youth of Crimea and Sevastopol» has been headed by 48 years old Oleksii Valeriyovych Abaulin. He was born in Simferopol. He teaches basic life safety in Simferopol school # 15. He is the head of department on pre-conscription training, military sports competitions of «Krympatriotcenter». 

In 2021, he unsuccessfully participated in primaries of Russian political party «United Russia» during elections to the State Duma of the Russian Federation. 

«Union of heirs of traditions», Krasnogvardiisky district 

Full name of the organization is as follows: Crimean regional historical patriotic non-governmental organization «Union of heirs of traditions».

Organization has been registered in 2015, in accordance with the Russian State Register of Legal Entities. It has been de facto set up in 2008, before the Russian annexation of Crimea. It had the same name in Ukrainian («Union of heirs of traditions»). Its initial purpose has been support of museums and research. 

After Russian occupation of Crimea, «heirs» have focused on patriotic training of the youth. «Union» conduct military sports competitions, races and camps. Children aged above 8 years old can become members of the Union. They learn to assemble Kalashnikov, shoot and fight. 

44 years old resident of Krasnogvardiiske Viktor Vasylyovych Kozhevnykov has been the president of the Union. He is the member of Petrivka village council of Krasnogvardiiske district from faction of Russian political party «United Russia». He runs his business – selling food and cigarettes. Before Russian occupation, Kozhevnykov has been the owner of private enterprise «Garant-servis».

«Yevpatoria landing troops», Yevpatoria 

Full name of the organization is the following: Autonomous non-commercial organization «Center for military patriotic training of children and youth «Yevpatoria landing troops».

Organization has been registered in Yevpatoria in 2017 (Eskadronna street, 11, apt.77). 

The Center has trained children from 7 till 17 years old. Its training program includes: shooting, assaulting, hand-to-hand combat, pre-conscription training, military mountaineering, survival skills, patriotic events. Children learn to evacuate wounded soldiers and make camouflage. 

Training has been conducted on the basis of Yevpatoria driving school of DOSAAF and local military unit # 86863. The latter is separate navy engineering regiment of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation. «School of young sapper» has been also opened on the basis of this regiment. 

Kostyantyn Stanislavovych Miroshnychenko has been the head of «Yevpatoria landing troops». Overall, there were five founders of the organization. Open information about Miroshnychenko is scarce. 

As his photos in social media suggest, he has been paratrooper. His taxation number, received from the Russian tax inspection in Yevpatoria, demonstrates that he has been citizen of Ukraine. In 2017, he registered his individual entrepreneurship (retail trade) but suspended it in a year and a half. 

Another founder of the organization is Vasyl Oleksandrovych Petukhov. He is the head of Yevpatoria office of «Union of paratroopers of Crimea». He graduated from Simferopol High Military Political Construction School and Kharkiv Institute of Internal Affairs. 

Before the Russian occupation of Crimea, he has been co-founder of LLC «Technical center «Planar», registered in Uyutne village of Saky district. He has been elected to the village council.

Other founders of «Yevpatoria landing troops» came from the Russian Federation. Arina Linkova and Vladimir Melnikov came from Russian Republic of Komi; Sergei Nesterov – from Moscow. Nesterov has headed offices of Russian political parties «Rodina» [Motherland] and «Dvizhenie Don» [Movement of Don] in Moscow before December 2021. 

«Center of military patriotic training of studying youth», Sevastopol 

Full name of the organization – «State budgetary educational institution of additional education of Sevastopol «Center of military patriotic training of studying youth». 

Founded in 1959 in Sevastopol, the Center of extra-curriculum education has been reorganized into the «Center of military patriotic training of studying youth» in 2010. After Russian occupation of Crimea, the Center has been re-registered under Russian jurisdiction. The current Center has been founded by the «government» of Sevastopol. It has invested a lot into the Center’s activity. Dry cleaning of navy uniforms has been among the largest expenses of the Center, according to Center’s financial reports, published on Russian online resources. The Center spends millions of Rubles for dry cleaning. 

The Center conducts creative and sports events but its accounts in social media are overwhelmed by photos and videos from propagandist events in Soviet style – competitions of patriotic songs in schools and kindergartens etc. 

The Center runs schools of pre-conscription, survival and safety training. It organizes military patriotic camps and military sports games «Rubezh» [Frontier] for senior school students, «Zarnytsia» – for middle level students and «Zarnychka» – for juniors. 

Since 2020, Ivan Olegovych Demydov has been the director of Sevastopol military patriotic Center. He worked as teacher of theatre studio «Motherland» in the Center. He received bachelor from Kharkiv Pedagogical University named after Skovoroda. He registered individual entrepreneurship in the sphere of entertainment. 

Ivan Demydov shares his experience with his «colleagues» on occupied territories of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions. For example, in August 2023, he visited occupied Skadovsk and signed cooperation agreement with «Kherson center of extra-curriculum education». In November 2023, he made a presentation at seminar «Patriotic training under current conditions» in occupied Zaporizhzhia region.

«Syvash», Dzhankoi, Kerch 

The Center of military patriotic training and creativity of youth «Syvash» has been set up in Dzhankoi on February 23, 2016. Children are taught a number of practical skills: hand-to-hand combat, shooting, first medical aid, parachuting, military topography and communications; driving skills and engineering. Theoretical part of training includes learning Russian legislation and history of the Russian army. 

In 2017, project of «Syvash», called «Great people – to great Russia. With great spirit and strong body», won a grant of Putin’s Fund. It received almost one million Rubles to teach children, starting from the 1st class, skills of hand-to-hand combat and shooting. 

In 2023, the Center moved to another Crimean city – Kerch. 

«Syvash» has been created by reserve officers Oleksandr Stepanovych Shyshkanu and Vladimir Vasilyevich Kryvosheev. 

Oleksandr Shyshkanu graduated from Kyiv High Military School named after Frunze. As soldier of special purpose brigade, he fought in Afghanistan. He was awarded Soviet order «Red Star» and medal «For courage». After his retirement, he has been a teacher of sports in secondary school and trainer of hand-to-hand combat in Donetsk. In 2015, he moved to occupied Crimea and taught sports and survival skills in Dzhankoi school # 2. He has been vice-president of the Federation of military hand-to-hand combat and headed club «Blue caps». In November 2021, 56 years old Shyshkanu died. 

Another founder of Center «Syvash» is retired Mayor Krivosheev Vladimir Vasilyevich. He was born in Russian city of Yekaterinburg. He graduated from Sverdlovsk High Military Political Schhol. In 2015, he became teacher of history, history of Crimea and survival skills. He is the coordinator of Dzhankoi «Immortal Regiment», Russian propagandist movement. 

«Kordon – Tarkhankut», Chornomorsky district 

Military patriotic center «Kordon-Tarkhankut» has been created in Chervona Polyana village of Chornomorsky district in 2017. It has been registered as legal entity in February 2022. The Center conducts initial military training of local children above 9 years old. The training includes hand-to-hand combat, knife fight, shooting, tactical medical aid, driving quadrocycle etc. 

Center «Kordon-Tarkhankut» has been managed by 59 years old Vladimir Vladimirovich Nedobezhkin. He was born in Russian city of Tyumen. He is retired Colonel of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. As a member of special purpose brigade, he participated in two Chechen wars. He was awarded «Hero of Russia». After retirement, he has headed private security companies. In 2015, he set up military patriotic club «Ratnaya druzhyna» in Russian city of Mezhdurechensk of Kemerovska oblast. In 2017, he moved from cold Siberia to occupied Crimea. 

We covered just a part of Russian military patriotic «trainers» of Crimean children. Their main goal is to prepare them for the service in the Russian Armed Forces. They use children’s interest in «war games». As an outcome, they will prepare new generation of soldiers, ready to serve, kill and die for Russia. 

The Center of Journalist Investigations will keep collecting information about Russian children’s military units in occupied Crimea and Sevastopol. 

Tags: Crimea, Krympatriotcenter, militarization of children, Sevastopol, Putin’s Fund of presidential grants, Young Army