Dmitry Oshulkov, a former soldier who fought in Russia’s conflict with Ukraine, now works as a teacher at a school in Severodvinsk, a military town known for its shipyards and nuclear submarine construction. He believes military and patriotic education plays a key role in shaping responsible citizens, as he shared in a promotional video released by the Arkhangelsk regional government.
Oshulkov, who survived intense frontline battles during the war, returned home as a veteran and decided to apply his military experience in the classroom. At the Sixth School in Severodvinsk, he organizes military training for high school students.
During these sessions, the students are divided into different groups with various roles. Some are assigned as snipers, others as machine gunners, riflemen, medics, or field commanders. Oshulkov explains that these assignments enhance the realism of the training and teach students how to work as a team, share responsibilities, and take accountability.
The video footage showcases teenagers attending military theory classes and practicing with real weapons. In the schoolyard, students are seen wearing uniforms and handling rifles, machine guns, and other military equipment.
Oshulkov is among many soldiers who have joined the Russian education system after returning from the battlefield.
The militarization of Russian schools has been a widely discussed topic, with multiple reports by The Barents Observer highlighting the increasing presence of military training in classrooms. Russian Education Minister Sergei Kravtsov emphasized the importance of fostering patriotism in students, especially after the escalation of the Ukraine war. He called for revisions to school textbooks across subjects to reflect these values.
However, not all educators are supportive of these changes. One teacher shared with The Barents Observer that the curriculum now frequently includes discussions about “special military operations” instead of traditional lessons. The teacher recalled how music lessons were replaced by a talk on bravery, with presentations focused largely on World War II and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Russian schools are increasingly being used as platforms for state propaganda, promoting the idea of “heroes” from the war. Soldiers are invited to teach patriotism lessons in both schools and kindergartens. In the town of Koryazhma in Arkhangelsk Oblast, a soldier with a criminal record is even teaching patriotism lessons to primary school students.
Meanwhile, in the city of Chelyabinsk, teacher Pavel Tarankin decided to document the growing militarization of local schools. He secretly filmed patriotic events and took photographs for the school administration, which he later shared with international outlets. This footage was turned into a documentary titled Mr. Anti-Putin, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2025.
