Russian Occupation Authorities in Berdyansk Fully Integrate Military Training into Youth Education Programs
In the occupied city of Berdyansk, Russian troops are actively manipulating the educational system to serve their military and propaganda objectives.
Officially, the local Russian administration has established a pseudo-volunteer group called «Bars-85» within the medical college students, claiming it is a «rescue unit» meant to operate in emergencies.
However, according to the National Resistance Center, the true purpose is to prepare young Ukrainians for military service as medics, assistants, and technical personnel for Russian armed forces.
The name «Bars-85» references the historical «Volunteer Cossack Detachment named after Pavel Sudoplatov», which has fought against Ukraine, emphasizing Moscow’s attempt to militarize youth for its expansionist aims.
Students are being recruited into this formation under the guise of «disaster response», but in reality, they are being trained to participate directly in combat operations or auxiliary roles on the Russian side.
The director of the Berdyansk medical college, Oksana Hryshchenko, a former pharmacist from Mariupol, has signed agreements to participate in this project.
She is also a collaborator holding a seat in the local occupation-supporting city council, where she heads the «budget committee».
Hryshchenko was previously convicted in Ukraine for her collaboration, receiving a three-year sentence in absentia.
Moscow’s overarching strategy is to create a new generation ideologically aligned with its military ambitions, transforming students into combat helpers, medics, and technicians ready for deployment across occupied territories.
This training is disguised as emergency response work but is, in fact, part of a broader effort to indoctrinate and prepare youth for involvement in Russia’s war efforts.
Additionally, the occupation authorities are trying to legitimize forced conscription of local residents, including in Melitopol, enacting laws that allow year-round military drafts, from January to December.
Any resident of Melitopol receiving a summons must report to military enlistment offices within 30 days, effectively stripping them of their right to refuse participation in the conflict and shaping a generation loyal to the occupying power and its aggressive objectives.