Militarization of Occupied Areas

The Donetsk Oblast occupation administration is introducing a “war tourism” program intended to bring Russians to active war zones in occupied Ukraine. Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR) Deputy Chairman Kirill Makarov told Kremlin newswire RIA Novosti on November 16 that Russian occupation authorities started developing a “war tourist” program in occupied Donetsk Oblast.[14] Makarov claimed that the DNR is historically associated with sites of Russian military glory, such as the Red Army’s 1943 Donbas Offensive, the war in Donbas in 2014, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The initiative is part of Russia’s Tourism-Hospitality national project, and Donetsk Oblast occupation authorities created an interdepartmental tourism headquarters to identify potential sites and routes for the project. Makarov claimed to Russian state-owned news outlet Rossiyskaya Gazeta that the military tourist project aims to preserve cultural memory and the Donbas’ role in Russian history.[15] Rossiyskaya Gazeta indicated that the military tourism program in occupied Ukraine will target children and young adults. Makarov later told Kremlin newswire RIA Novosti that Russia will invest over 1 billion rubles ($12.4 million) in the DNR’s tourism industry for 2026.[16] The increased investment in Russian-funded tourism in occupied Donetsk Oblast, along with the project’s young target audience, is likely related to Russia’s broader indoctrination efforts aiming to develop loyalty to the regime among young Ukrainians living in occupied areas. The war tourism project also enforces Russia’s ahistoric claims to Ukraine and attempts to whitewash its illegal 2014 and 2022 invasions as feats of Russian patriotism. Heavy investment in tourism in occupied areas, including Donetsk Oblast, also likely has a profit incentive — occupation administrations stand to benefit from increased tourism to the areas they control.

Russia continues to institutionalize military-patriotic education programs in occupied Ukraine. Occupied Luhansk Oblast-based outlet Luhansk Information Center reported on November 14 that the Redut Center for Youth Military-Patriotic Education opened at the Luhansk State Pedagogical University (LSPU).[17] The Redut Center seeks to “develop civic awareness, spirituality, patriotism, and responsibility” in youth. Redut Center director Dmitry Lebedinets claimed that the opening of the center is necessary because there are still youth in occupied areas who have “a negative attitude” towards Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The Redut will teach youth about drone operation, rifle assembly, tactical fire training, and how to weave camouflage nets. Deputy Chairperson of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR) occupation government Larisa Tolstykina also emphasized on November 16 the opening of the “Beregovoy” cadet boarding school in occupied Donetsk City in September 2025, noting that the school can accommodate 180 cadets.[18] Tolstykina also highlighted the involvement of Russian state nuclear operator Rosatom and the Russian Kurchatov Institute Research Center in providing state-approved educational programming for children in occupied Donetsk Oblast. All of these educational programs have a military-patriotic ideological intent and seek to prepare Ukrainian children and youth for future service to the Russian state — either in the armed forces or working for state-owned or state-affiliated enterprises or initiatives like Rosatom and Kurchatov.

The Ukrainian government confirmed that Russia has forcibly mobilized over 45,000 Ukrainians from occupied areas into the Russian military since 2022.[19] Ukrainian Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War (POWs) Secretary Dmytro Usov stated on November 18 that Russia forcibly mobilized 46,327 Ukrainians living in occupied territories as of July 1, 2025.[20] This figure includes both those mobilized via contract recruitment and those drafted. The vast majority (over 35,000) were residents of occupied Crimea, where Russia has been building out mobilization infrastructure since its 2014 annexation of the peninsula. Usov emphasized that one in every six POWs held by Ukraine is actually a Ukrainian citizen.[21] Usov also noted that the Russian General Staff has created four units comprised predominantly of Ukrainian POWs — the Bohdan Khmelnytskyi Battalion, the Maxim Kryvonos Battalion, the Martyn Pushkar Detachment, and the Oleksandr Matrosov Detachment. Usov’s statements confirm the massive scale at which Russia has been systematically violating international law in order to build out its manpower pool. ISW has previously reported on Russia’s illegal mobilization of residents of occupied Ukraine, as well as its illegal use of Ukrainian POW units such as the Bohdan Khmelnytskyi and Maxim Kryvonos battalions in active combat.[22]

Russia’s heavily militarized Rosgvardia internal security force continues its active engagement in the militarization of Ukrainian children. Rosgvardia’s occupied Zaporizhia Oblast branch held “Conscript’s Day” for schoolchildren in occupied Melitopol on November 14.[23] Rosgvardia claimed that the event contributed to the patriotic education of the “future defenders of the Fatherland.”  Members of Rosgvardia’s Smerch-A Special Rapid Response Unit (SOBR) showed Ukrainian children Russian military equipment, talked to children about the social benefits of serving with Rosgvardia, and discussed opportunities for study at Russian military academies. ISW continues to observe Rosgvardia’s growing role in the militarization of schoolchildren in occupied Ukraine and continues to assess that it serves a dual role of introducing law enforcement oversight into schools while preparing Ukrainian children for potential future service to the Russian state.[24]

Kremlin officials highlighted the role that the Young Guard, the youth wing of the ruling United Russia party, is playing in the occupation of Ukraine. Russian Security Council Deputy and United Russia Chairperson Dmitry Medvedev attended events commemorating the 20^th Anniversary of the founding of the Young Guard of the United Russia party in Moscow on November 17.[25] Medvedev claimed that over 6,500 members of Young Guard took part in the “reconstruction” of occupied Ukraine and emphasized that the Young Guard “preserves Russia’s sacred values and traditions” in young people. Russian President Vladimir Putin also shared his remarks at Young Guard anniversary events, thanking members of the organization who are serving in the Russian military in its war against Ukraine.[26] United Russia’s Young Guard serves a recruitment function for the Russian armed forces and is also actively involved in the militarization of children in occupied Ukraine.[27] Young Guard is therefore part of the wider militarization ecosystem operating in occupied Ukraine.