Vladimir Putin is targeting young beauty contestants and is "indoctrinating" them to join his illegal war in Ukraine.
Up until now, most of the country's propaganda has been directed at boys, but the focus is now shifting as schoolgirls aged 15 and 16 in Russia's Primorsky region are being introduced to "military-patriotic education". In neighbouring Belarus, beauty pageant contestants have been enlisted to 'inspire' girls and women to join the fight for Putin-ally Alexander Lukashenko.
In Primorsky, 75 schoolgirls received basic military guidance, which included drills, tactical fire and physical training, as well as instruction in radiation, chemical and biological protection. This marked the first "female session" at the Avangard centre for military-patriotic education of the youth.
Miss Belarus contestants at a military training ground to "inspire" girls and women to join Lukashenko's armed forces (CTV.by)By the end of the year, an additional 300 girls - and 1,000 boys - are expected to be enrolled on intensive five-day courses, which are seen as stepping stones to military careers or mobilisation. It comes as membership numbers in Putin's Yunarmia, or Young Army, likened to the Hitler Youth, have surged to 1.4 million. The organisation has faced accusations of militarising Russia's youngsters.
In Primorsky, senior education official Oksana Novikova addressed the girls, stating: "Love of the Motherland, patriotism, and responsibility have always been instilled in young people, regardless of gender." She further encouraged them by saying, "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."
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Meanwhile, in Belarus, participants from the Miss Belarus 2023 pageant were forced to attend a similar military instruction course. Nadezhda Tolstikova, the winner of the Miss Top Model of Miss Belarus 2023 contest, shared her experience: "The impressions are simply amazing, I've already practiced shooting, I've shot with a rifle, and now it's just..." She added, "The smell of gunpowder...definitely, I shall return to shooting."
Colonel Sergei Grebennikov, deputy commander of dictator Lukashenko's internal troops, said that the event was designed to glamorise the military. He stated, "They will see with their own eyes what our strong, respectable guys are capable of." A report indicated that the girls would be "inspired" to join the military and security services in the oppressive state.
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