Russia Recruits Children to Design and Build Military Drones
Russian authorities are systematically involving children in the design, testing, and even production of military drones used in the war against Ukraine, The Gaze reports, citing The Guardian.
The probe reveals a disturbing pipeline that starts with government-endorsed video games and ends with teenagers working on deadly technologies at sanctioned defense facilities.
The process reportedly begins with a game called Berloga, launched in 2022, where children control “intelligent bears” fending off bees, often using drones.
The game, played by hundreds of thousands of young Russians, is linked to academic benefits such as bonus points in final school exams.
From there, top players are scouted for national competitions like Big Challenges, where talented teenagers are recruited by major Russian defense enterprises, many of which are under international sanctions.
These youth are then enlisted to work on military-grade unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), some of which are deployed to strike Ukrainian cities.
One teen involved said: “The kids are actively involved in modelling components of systems for various drones. I know of several people at least who were modelling UAV components for major enterprises.”
Participants admitted they were told to hide the military nature of their work:
“We were forbidden to say that it was needed for the war, and we invented civilian applications. It’s a children’s program … A project must always have a dual purpose, especially when you’re a school student. It’s an unwritten rule I’ve observed at every competition,” one said.
The investigation also revealed footage aired on Russia’s Zvezda TV showing teenagers working inside the Alabuga drone factory — the largest producer of Geran-2 kamikaze drones, Russia’s localized version of Iran’s Shahed drones. These drones have frequently been used to target Ukrainian cities, causing civilian casualties.
Teenagers, some as young as 13, were also reportedly involved in training soldiers in drone operations. One such youth recalled training military personnel at a state facility in 2022.
Read more on The Gaze: How Russian Propaganda Works at Home and Abroad