An online backlash has hit Russia’s bid to indoctrinate schoolgirls to fight for Vladimir Putin.
Most of the country’s propaganda war has been aimed at boys, but now it is switching to girls.
An example is in Primorsky region where for the first time schoolgirls aged 15 and 16 are inducted in ‘military-patriotic education’.
In neighbouring Belarus, beauty pageant contestants were recruited to ‘inspire’ girls and women to join up and fight for Putin-ally and vote-rigging dictator Alexander Lukashenko.
In Primorsky – in the far eats of Russia – some 75 schoolgirls were trained in military ‘basics’ including drilling, tactical, fire and physical training, and instruction in radiation, chemical and biological protection.
Miss Belarus beauty pageant contestants visit a military training ground to ‘inspire’ girls and women to join up and fight for dictator Alexander Lukashenko.
![The contestants posed proudly during the PR stunt designed to inspire young women and girls to join the military effort](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/09/27/20/75907487-12567979-image-a-2_1695843570538.jpg)
The contestants posed proudly during the PR stunt designed to inspire young women and girls to join the military effort
![The women were inspected while donning their military equipment in the PR stunt designed to appeal to young girls](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/09/27/23/75907479-12567979-The_women_were_inspected_while_donning_their_military_equipment_-a-47_1695853614772.jpg)
The women were inspected while donning their military equipment in the PR stunt designed to appeal to young girls
It was the first ‘female session’ at the Avangard centre for military-patriotic education of the youth.
By the end of the year another 300 girls – and 1,000 boys – will be enrolled on intense five-day courses seen as precursors to military careers or mobilisation.
Such moves are underway across Russia’s 11 time zones amid Putin’s war against Ukraine.
This comes as numbers have swollen in Putin’s Yunarmia, or Young Army, likened to the Hitler Youth, with 1.4 million signed up.
The organisation has been accused of militarisation of young people in Russia.
In Primorsky senior education official Oksana Novikova told the girls: ‘Love of the Motherland, patriotism, and responsibility have always been instilled in young people, regardless of gender.
‘You are the first in our female team, so I want to wish you good luck, patience and, of course, unlock your potential – go for it.’
In Belarus, contestants from the Miss Belarus 2023 pageant were made to attend a course in military instruction.
Nadezhda Tolstikova, who won the Miss Top Model of Miss Belarus 2023 contest, said: ‘The impressions are simply amazing, I’ve already practiced shooting, I’ve shot with a rifle, and now it’s just…
‘The smell of gunpowder…definitely, I shall return to shooting.’
Colonel Sergei Grebennikov, deputy commander of dictator Lukashenko’s internal troops, suggested the event was aimed at glamorising the military.
‘They will see with their own eyes what our strong, respectable guys are capable of,’ he said.
![The contestants tried out a number of military practices during their visit to the training ground](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/09/27/23/75907513-12567979-The_contestants_tried_out_a_number_of_military_practices_during_-a-49_1695853614776.jpg)
The contestants tried out a number of military practices during their visit to the training ground
![Most of the country's propaganda war has been aimed at boys, but now it is switching to girls](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/09/27/23/75907511-12567979-Most_of_the_country_s_propaganda_war_has_been_aimed_at_boys_but_-a-50_1695853614776.jpg)
Most of the country’s propaganda war has been aimed at boys, but now it is switching to girls
![A beauty pageant contestant practices her sharpshooting skills](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/09/27/23/75907477-12567979-A_beauty_pageant_contestant_practices_her_sharpshooting_skills-a-51_1695853614777.jpg)
A beauty pageant contestant practices her sharpshooting skills
A report said girls would be ‘inspired’ to join the military and security services in the repressive state.
But Telegram comments attacked the Primorsky militarisation of girls.
One said: ‘Girls, girls, girls, what are you doing? Who were you going to fight with, who attacked you? Hitler? Obama? Zelensky? Or idiocy?’
Katerina commented on ChTD channel: ‘The girls haven’t even lived yet, but they are already rinsing their brains and preparing to die for the whims of crazy grandfathers.’
Another said: ‘I don’t have the strength to look at this.’
Tatiana asked: ‘I would like to understand why?’
One more complained: ‘We are awash with military indoctrination, first for boys and now, as we see, for girls.
‘This war has already killed enough. How much longer? How many more must die?’
But Svetlana Tulinova said: ‘There are only traitors in these comments.
‘Well done, girls. Let them learn to fight.’
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