Russian children take part in military training camp: Report

It was quite an adventure for a group of Russian children aged 8 to 17

taking part in a military training camp earlier this week. The kids and teens were supervised by soldiers as they participated in a route march

on the shore of the River Don in southern Russia, running, doing push-ups, crawling in sand and through water, Reuters reports

Some even held real weapons. Others carried replica rifles. One eight-year-old was asked about the most memorable part of the experience

Howie threw hand grenades and fired dummy shots, he said. This exercise is part of a larger movement happening in Russia

with the goal of teaching young children certain military-related skills, preparing them in case they're ever required to serve in the military in the future, according to Reuters

Why I am here? It's because I want to tie my future with military service

I want to serve my country and be loyal to my cause until the very end

One of the older boys said, people have different opinions about the training activities for the kids

Supporters believe the training helps build patriotism and resilience while critics on the other hand say it a form of indoctrination Alexander Shopen a training instructor who was wounded

in the war in Ukraine, talked about the importance of teamwork and the close family-like relationships

that formed during the training. One Russian mother named Natalia said that her son loves

interacting with the other kids at camp. Here we accompany our children and help the instructors

with whatever we can, including in the kitchen. It is a big and close-knit team

It is very interesting to be here. The program keeps children busy every day

They feel tired in the evening, but still very happy about everything what is going on here

When asked whether they were going to give up, they shout, no way. They start another day with new strength

do physical exercise, she said. The instructor noted that the kids develop understanding

and knowledge from the experience, according to Reuters. Patriotic training is very important, he said

They don't want to hang out in back alleyways. It's much more fun for them here

For Straight Arrow News, I'm Lauren Keenan. If you want more on this story, download the Straight Arrow News app or visit san.com