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In Syktyvkar, Teremok (literally "the little house") is one of many pre-schools across Russia that have set up "junior cadet" groups since the Kremlin launched its so-called "special military operation" in Ukraine in February 2022. As in the "Rainbow" class, the children take part in "educational meetings." They participate in marching and military singing contests, gather for cadet assemblies and balls and regularly meet with military personnel. They learn how to protect themselves in the event of gunfire and to deliver a report with military precision. They also wear the red cadet beret. The target age group is children from 4 to 7 years old.
Focused on patriotism and basic military preparation, these programs began appearing in pre-schools as early as 2014, during Russia's annexation of Crimea. After the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the movement grew. According to figures from the independent Russian online media outlet Viorstka, at least 57 towns and cities in 26 regions of Russia have created such groups in schools, most of them after the war in Ukraine began.
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The program varies by institution. But the setting is always intended to be playful. Children may meet participants in the "special military operation," be introduced to shooting and hand-to-hand combat, try on gas masks and bulletproof vests, weave camouflage nets and take part in municipal events in parade uniforms. Teachers and school principals share their methods, with some even establishing partnerships with military universities. They claim to contribute to the "early training" of children.
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Gradually, common standards are already being established across Russia. According to accounts from educational staff on social media, a ritual has begun to take shape for the initiation ceremony: the national anthem resounds in the classroom; the Russian flag is raised; and, three times, the children shout "I swear!" as a sign of their loyalty to the flag and the nation.
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In some cities, these junior cadet groups are created with a view to incorporating them into military schools. In Syktyvkar, kindergarten No. 112 has set up a special group for future police officers. In the Kursk region, near the border with Ukraine, which in summer 2024 was partially occupied by Kyiv's forces, children in a pre-school are automatically placed in the "border guards" class of a neighboring school. This class is run by a veteran of the "special military operation."
In Kostomuksha, a small town in Karelia, a region bordering Finland, cadets have been integrated into the Ministry of Emergency Situations. A section was created there called "The Little Rescuers." In Saransk, 600 kilometers east of Moscow, children have been directly admitted by the cadets of the National Guard, an autonomous police structure under the direct authority of the presidential administration.
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In many cities, the programs are openly military. In Kursk, the youngest cadets learn the basics of close combat. In Samara, they take part in a camouflage net workshop. In Khabarovsk, a major city in Russia's Far East, children are perfecting their marching in step. In Karaidel, a small town in Bashkortostan in the center of Russia, children receive explanations on how to build military equipment. This presentation was followed by a small performance called "How Kolobok [a legendary character from a Russian folk tale] prepared to join the army."
"Children love to discover new things," explained Larissa Dermenji, creator of the "Cadet from Early Childhood" project in Pokatchi, in September 2024 on local television. Her pre-school, Skazka, was awarded the status of a regional innovation platform thanks to its unconventional methods of fostering love for the homeland. In uniform – red or blue, depending on the class – the children begin, since 2024, class with a ceremony to raise the Russian flag, which they hoist themselves in front of a mural depicting the Kremlin. They then learn both Russian history and current events, celebrating the "success" of the "reunification" of Crimea. "If the teacher captivates them and prepares the activity well, the children absorb everything like sponges," said Dermenji.
