Official propaganda and the education system in Russia deliberately push teenagers towards military service, reveals a large-scale journalistic investigation by BBC News. The independent report documents the tragic fate of a generation of eighteen-year-old boys who are being drawn into the military conflict through a systematic state strategy.
Despite Vladimir Putin's repeated public assurances that underage soldiers will not be sent to the front line, the journalistic investigation establishes at least 245 dead 18-year-old servicemen in the last two years. These data represent only a partial result of the massive human losses in the conflict.
A key point in the new state policy is the removal of existing restrictions on military service. From April 2023, any adult male who has completed secondary education can sign a military contract without prior mandatory military training. This legislative act dramatically facilitates the process of mass recruitment of young people.
The education system plays a critical role in preparing youth for military service. Special subjects such as "Fundamentals of Defense" have been introduced, where students are trained to handle weapons, make camouflage nets, and are subjected to intensive patriotic indoctrination. Military representatives regularly visit educational institutions, presenting a military career as an attractive opportunity.
Specific examples such as Alexander Petlinski and Vitaly Ivanov illustrate the tragic model. Both are young men who immediately after turning 18 sign military contracts, driven by a combination of patriotic sentiments, lack of alternative opportunities, and systemic propaganda.
The statistical data are alarming. The BBC investigation confirms at least 2,812 dead Russian servicemen between 18 and 20 years old since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. Experts believe that the actual figures are significantly higher, with estimates pointing to between 185,000 and 267,500 total military losses.
Personal stories reveal the deep human tragedy behind these numbers. Mothers mourn their sons, knowing that they have become victims of systematic manipulation. Friends and relatives share the pain of losing young lives that were directed towards military service from the school bench.
The investigation highlights how the state machine deliberately exploits youth naivety, patriotic enthusiasm, and economic uncertainty to fill its military ranks. Economic incentives and propaganda rhetoric become key tools for mass military recruitment.
Although official statements claim the opposite, documented facts show a systematic approach to involving young people in the military conflict. Education, media, and state institutions work in coordination to prepare a generation of soldiers ready to be sent to the front line.
The tragedy of these young soldiers is not just a statistic, but a painful testimony to the cost of war and the manipulative power of state propaganda. Their fates reveal deeply human suffering beyond geopolitical ambitions and military strategies.