The Kremlin regime is systematically intensifying the total militarization of Russian society, increasingly drawing younger demographics into the operational mechanisms of its military apparatus. In Russia’s border region of Belgorod, local high school students aged 15 to 17 are being actively recruited for “summer jobs and internships” directly inside military enlistment offices (commissariats). This alarming development was first exposed by the human rights advocacy project Get Lost (Idite Lesom), which identified promotional flyers distributed across local educational institutions. Utilizing minors to support institutions responsible for mobilization and military draft registers marks a dangerous new chapter in the Kremlin’s domestic policy.
According to the recruitment advertisements, teenagers are offered positions such as “junior military enlistment office staff” and “military registration specialists.” Notably, the ads omit any specific details regarding salaries or working hours, yet they explicitly state that the vacancy is ideal for those who “love sports.” Experts suggest this phrasing implies preparatory physical training or future involvement in law enforcement-related tasks. In reality, the initiative aims to address severe labor shortages within the administrative branches of the Russian military. As mature workers avoid positions in border areas due to drone strikes and shelling, the state is turning to vulnerable youth.
This recruitment drive is not an isolated local incident but part of a well-funded national program. Investigative journalists estimate that over the last five years, Moscow has allocated more than 50 billion rubles (around $550 million) to establish a state-wide network of “military-patriotic centers” for children. In these institutions, minors are trained to handle firearms, operate combat drones, and are subjected to propaganda sessions with soldiers returning from the invasion of Ukraine.
By embedding teenagers into the bureaucratic machinery of the military, Russia is laying the groundwork for a long-term conflict. Human rights organizations warn that employing minors in military offices directly violates international conventions regarding children’s rights. However, facing international isolation, the Kremlin continues to convert its youth into a militarized labor force.