Russia is massively training children to operate drones for war, - British intelligence

This was reported on social media platform X by the UK Ministry of Defence, citing intelligence data.

"According to open sources, Russian children and youth are being taught and trained in the management and basic technical skills of UAVs in over 500 schools in Russia, as well as in 30 colleges with vocational training centers," the report says.

It is reported that over 2,500 teachers have undergone courses for instruction in this field. This is part of Russian Minister of Education and Science Valery Falkov’s stated intention in May 2024 to train one million UAV specialists by 2030.

Analysts note that on June 12, 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that the development and deployment of a separate unit of specialized unmanned aerial vehicle forces within the Russian Armed Forces is underway.

"This also underscores the continued growth of the importance of UAVs in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, as well as Russia’s long-term aspiration to significantly enhance its level of UAV use, as well as the scope and scale of its capabilities in this field," British intelligence concludes.