Nurseries and primary schools across Russia took part in mandatory anti-terror drills on August 18-19 that included staged hostage situations, flammable-liquid attacks and simulated drone strikes. Images showed masked actors pointing guns at children while others hid or barricaded rooms. Four teachers in Serkovo were injured when a stun grenade detonated during an exercise and three were hospitalised; a regional investigation has been opened. Officials say the exercises tested staff readiness and reflected a wider increase in drone-related training since 2022.
Nurseries Took Part in Mandatory Russian Anti-Terror Drills That Included Simulated Hostage Scenarios
Children are held at gunpoint in exercises mandated by the Russian government
Nursery and primary school children across Russia were involved in mandatory nationwide anti-terror exercises on August 18-19 that included staged hostage scenarios in which masked actors pointed guns at pupils.
What Happened
Images and video shared widely on social media showed youngsters confronted by balaclava-clad performers aiming weapons, as well as children barricading classroom doors, hiding in utility rooms or lying face down on the floor to rehearse how to respond to attacks.
Children were held at gunpoint in Russian drills - Novaya Gazeta
Scope and Purpose
The Ministry of Education required the drills, which state media said tested responses to armed hostage-taking, assaults involving flammable liquids and drone strikes. Alexander Bugaev, first deputy education minister, said the exercises were intended to test 'the practical readiness of teachers, heads of educational institutions and security personnel', and that nurseries were taking part for the first time.
Injuries and Investigation
In Serkovo, in the Moscow region, four teachers were injured when a stun grenade was reportedly thrown through a school window, landed on a table and detonated. Telegram channels linked to security services reported eye injuries and abrasions, and said three teachers were taken to hospital. The Moscow regional prosecutor's office announced it would open an investigation.
Children were made to role play their response to armed attacks - Novaya Gazeta
Notable Simulations
Local media reported that at a school in Kurgan, two simulated perpetrators doused a security guard and the school entrance with flammable liquid and set them alight as part of the exercise. Other scenarios included a simulated drone attack on a school building.
Context
Armed attacks on schools remain relatively rare in Russia, but incidents involving weapons by current or former students have risen in recent years; authorities say about half of violent incidents in schools since 2000 took place in the past five years. Since 2022, schools have also increased training related to aerial threats and drone operation.
In October last year, nurseries ran lessons on 'safety culture' for Civil Defence Day focused on missile and drone threats, evacuation procedures and distinguishing larger fixed-wing UAVs from smaller quadcopters. Since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, some school programs have included training in operating combat drones. A presidential directive last year encouraged expanding drone-piloting skills among younger children, and Moscow plans to launch a national drone-piloting championship for children aged seven and above called Pilots of the Future. Independent reporting from Novaya Gazeta estimates that educational institutions have spent at least 16 billion roubles on drones and related equipment since 2022.
Public Reaction
More than 100 kindergartens posted about the exercises on social media, according to Novaya Gazeta Europe. The drills have prompted debate about the appropriateness of staging realistic attack scenarios for very young children, while officials say such rehearsals are intended to increase preparedness and save lives in the event of a real incident.
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