July 30, 2024

At Camp "Country of Heroes," Kids Learn War


At Camp "Country of Heroes," Kids Learn War
Who doesn't want their child to know how to throw knives and dig trenches?  Elena Harrison, CC0, Wikimedia Commons

Russian kids can learn to dig trenches, throw knives, practice tactical medicine, and shoot assault weapons at the new popular Russian summer camp "Country of Heroes."

The camp, located outside of Moscow, is billed as a "patriot camp" for schoolchildren and has been planned by the Russian Military History Commission since 2019. The camp organizers state that their goal is "education in the spirit of love, devotion and selfless service to the Motherland, respect for the Defender of the Fatherland, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation." 

Unsurprisingly, its scenarios have become even more realistic in the wake of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine: as part of the camp, kids "act out a plot about a volunteer leaving for a 'special military operation' zone, leaving his wife and daughter behind."

The camp is free and popular enough to have a waiting list. Parents send applications for their kids along with letters of recommendation and lists of awards the child has won. 

For another story on a similar militaristic camp for kids, read the story in our Spring 2024 issue.

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