Scores of schoolchildren enjoyed a riverside adventure in southern Russia this week, but it was no ordinary holiday camp.

With military instructors shouting encouragement, the 83 children, aged 8-17, took part in a "route march" on the shore of the River Don, alternately running and crawling on their bellies across sand and through shallow water.

Many wore camouflage uniforms. Some carried real weapons, while others held toy replicas.

The exercise, supervised by soldiers who have taken part in the war in Ukraine, was part of a wider trend in Russia to educate even young children in skills to equip them for eventual military service.

One of the youngest participants, 8-year-old Ivan Glushchenko, replied instantly when asked what had been the most memorable part.

"How we threw hand grenades and fired dummy shots," he said.

The children were part of a group of cadets run by Cossacks in the Rostov region, close to the border with Ukraine.

"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," said one of the older boys, Anton.

Another, David, said the "route march" had enabled him to test his own limits. "It allowed me to find out how strong my willpower is."

Critics like the independent children's rights organization "Ne Norma" say putting youngsters through army-style training and teaching them in school how to handle weapons and build military drones is a form of indoctrination and propaganda.

Russian authorities say this kind of education serves to instill healthy patriotism and build national resilience.

Among the instructors in Rostov was Alexander Shopin, a Russian soldier who was wounded in Ukraine and is awaiting surgery. His middle daughter was one of the participants.

"It's not the first time I've taken part in this route march. I like it – to pass my experience to the children. You can see how a family is forged out of them," Shopin said.

He said his daughter had enjoyed it, although she found it hard. "To run as part of a team and not to let her mates down – this is what she likes."

After the training, some of the children were clearly buzzing with excitement.

"I nearly died!" one teenage girl exclaimed.

"We made the run three times!" her friend said, hugging her.

Instructor Vladimir Yanenko said the children drew "understanding and knowledge" from the experience.

"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."

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

CADETS OF COSSACK MILITARY SCHOOL ENDURING ROUTE MARCH AS PART OF FIELD TRAINING COURSE - RUNNING, PUSHING UP, CRAWLING ACROSS SAND, MUD AND WATER / CADETS AND OTHER PARTICIPANTS OF EVENT SPEAKING ABOUT THEIR IMPRESSIONS AND MOTIVATIONS / INSTRUCTORS, MAINLY WAR IN UKRAINE VETERANS, COMMENTING ON NECESSITY OF PHYSICAL TRAINING AND PATRIOTIC UPBRINGING OF YOUNG PEOPLE

SHOWS: ROSTOV REGION, RUSSIA (AUGUST 21, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. CHILDREN AND TEENAGERS TAKING PART IN ROUTE MARCH START RUNNING ACCOMPANIED BY INSTRUCTORS AND ADULT FAMILY MEMBERS WHO TAKE PICTURES AND FILM VIDEOS

2. MARCH PARTICIPANTS RUNNING ALONG BANK OF RIVER DON

3. PARTICIPANTS INCLUDING CADETS OF COSSACK MILITARY SCHOOL MOVING ON HAUNCHES, SOME CARRYING REPLICA RIFLES

4. YOUNG GIRL WITH REPLICA RIFLE CRAWLING ON SAND FOLLOWED BY OTHER PARTICIPANTS

5. PARTICIPANTS RUNNING ALONG WATER EDGE FOLLOWED BY SAILING BOAT

6. YOUNG FEMALE AND MALE PARTICIPANTS CRAWLING THROUGH WATER

7. PARTICIPANTS CRAWLING THROUGH WATER THEN STANDING UP AND RUNNING AS INSTRUCTORS ENCOURAGE THEM

8. PARTICIPANTS CRAWLING ON THEIR BACKS

9. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) TEENAGE GIRL WITH FLAG, TRAINEE (NO NAME GIVEN), SAYING:

“(REPORTER ASKING WHAT SHE LIKED BEST) To crawl on my back and in the water.”

10. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) TEENAGE GIRL, TRAINEE (NO NAME GIVEN), SAYING:

“We made the run, everything is cool. Thank you very much for…” ANOTHER TRAINEE INTERJECTING: “I nearly died…” – We made the run three times!”

11. PARTICIPANTS, SOME CARRYING FLAGS, RUNNING ALONG RIVER, THEN TAKING HAUNCHED POSITION

12. PARTICIPANTS CRAWLING THROUGH WATER ON THEIR BACKS

13. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) SERVICE MAN OF RUSSIAN 155 MARINE BRIGADE, ALEXANDER SHOPIN, SAYING:

“My middle daughter is here. It's not the first time I've taken part in this route march. I like it – to pass my experience to the children. You can see how a family is forged out of them (during the training and teamwork).”

14. PARTICIPANTS CRAWLING THROUGH WATER WITH ONE OF THEM CARRYING FLAG

15. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) SERVICE MAN OF RUSSIAN 155 MARINE BRIGADE, ALEXANDER SHOPIN, SAYING:

“(My daughter) liked it. She enjoyed it from the very beginning, and now even more so. It was hard to run for her, although she took the dancing lessons and things like that. To run as part of a team and not to let her mates down – this is what she likes.”

16. PARTICIPANTS CRAWLING ACROSS WATER ON THEIR BACKS, CARRYING FLAGS INCLUDING BLACK ONE WITH SCULL AND CROSSED BONES (OFF SHOT INSTRUCTOR HEARD SHOUTING IN RUSSIAN "Raise your flags high, flag bearers!")

17. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) CADET OF EMPEROR ALEXANDER III DON COSSACK MILITARY SCHOOL, DAVID BEZHETADZE, SAYING:

“This route march helped me to test my limits. It allowed me to find out how strong my willpower is.”

18. PARTICIPANTS CRAWLING THROUGH WATER ON THEIR BACKS

19. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) CADET OF EMPEROR ALEXANDER III DON COSSACK MILITARY SCHOOL, DAVID BEZHETADZE, SAYING:

“Our Motherland needs defenders who do it for themselves and not for someone else.”

20. PARTICIPANTS RAISING FROM PRONE POSITION AND STARTING TO RUN (OFF SHOT INSTRUCTOR HEARD SHOUTING IN RUSSIAN "Run!")

21. VARIOUS OF PARTICIPANTS WALKING KNEE DEEP THROUGH WATER , CARRYING RIFLES ABOVE THEIR HEADS

22. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) CADET OF EMPEROR ALEXANDER III DON COSSACK MILITARY SCHOOL, ANTON (FAMILY NAME INAUDIBLE), SAYING:

“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 till the very end.”

23. PARTICIPANTS CRAWLING ON ALL FOUR THROUGH WATER

24. PARTICIPANTS WALKING AND JUMPING IN WATER

25. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) ATAMAN (CHIEFTAIN) OF NOVOCHERKASSK DISTRICT OF WARRIER-COSSACKS UNION OF RUSSIA AND ABROAD, DMITRY TISHKOV, SAYING:

“The instructors who are here with the children now, they are participants of the combat operations, the SMO (“special military operation” in Ukraine).” Some of them (recover) after wounds. Others received a leave (from their units) specifically to join our event.”

26. INSTRUCTOR GIVING ORDERS

27. PARTICIPANTS DOING PUSH-UPS

28. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) ATAMAN (CHIEFTAIN) OF NOVOCHERKASSK DISTRICT OF WARRIER-COSSACKS UNION OF RUSSIA AND ABROAD, DMITRY TISHKOV, SAYING:

“The children are the first ones who need it. We lost certain generations (in neglect) and now we want not only to renew it all (the patriotic upbringing) and to attract as many children, both boys and girls, as we can. They need it, I believe. Many of them have fathers who fight in SMO (“special military operation” in Ukraine).”

29. PARTICIPANTS (CADETS) STANDING AT EASE

30. INSTRUCTOR APPROACHING, ASKING IN RUSSIAN: "Are you in good health, platoon? Are you all in cheerful mood?" - OFF SHOT CADET HEARD REPLYING IN RUSSIAN: "Yes, Sir!"

31. CADETS SHOUTING IN RUSSIAN "Yes, Sir!"

32. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) INSTRUCTOR IN TACTICAL MEDICINE, VLADIMIR YANENKO, SAYING:

“The reason is simple. We treat them as our own (children). Here, they find understanding and knowledge. Patriotic training is very important. They do not want to hang out in the back alleyways. It is much more fun for them here.”

33. VARIOUS OF PARTICIPANTS, YOUNG BOYS AND GIRLS, STANDING IN GROUP

34. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) MOTHER OF YOUNG TRAINEE BOY IVAN, NATALIA GLUSHCHENKO, SAYING:

“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.”

35. VARIOUS OF YOUNG TRAINEES CRAWLING ON THEIR BACKS

36. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) YOUNG TRAINEE, IVAN GLUSHCHENKO, SAYING:

“(ASKED WHAT HE IS GOING TO REMEMBER FROM TRAINING) How we threw (hand) grenades and fired dummy shots.”

37. VARIOUS OF INSTRUCTORS AND PARTICIPANTS HUGGING EACH OTHER AFTER ROUTE MARCH IS OVER