Kindergarten kids get salutes from the front
"We, the warriors of the 80th Motorised Rifle Brigade, want to thank the director of the kindergarten, the team of pedagogues, parents and kids for the support," a video message from soldiers on occupied land shows. Small kids across Russia are increasingly being familiarised with the war of aggression.
The salute from the frontline fighters came in late February, only few days after the kindergarten had sent a shipment of aid and equipment to the occupied parts of Ukraine.
The video was posted on the kindergarten's social media page.
In camouflage uniforms and with their faces covered, the soldiers address kindergarten Director Tatiana Shinkarenko and her small kids. They all carry machine guns.
"Must God protect you, our dear defenders," Shinkarenko responds in a message.
Tatiana Shinkarenko is head of kindergarten No 10 in Severomorsk. She is also closely engaged in activities related to the Russian Orthodox Church.
In December 2024, she joined a Church delegation to Kirkenes, the Norwegian border town. She travelled together with Svetlana Yefremova, the politician and church representative from Severomorsk, and the purpose of their trip was a visit to the local Orthodox congregation.
Like many other kindergardens and schools across Russia, Kindergarten No 10 in Severomorsk is producing trench candles and send letters and drawings to frontline soldiers.
Severomorsk is the headquarter city of Russia's Northern Fleet, and a majority of local families is connected with the military. Many local men are fighting in Ukraine.
Kindergarten No 10 is one of hundreds of pre-school institutions across Russia that is actively propagating war for their children. Patriotism and war is increasingly part of the curriculum in both kindergartens and schools.
A similar video greeting from soldiers on the front recently came to school No 5 in Pechenga and its headmaster Natalia Sidorova.
In the video, reportedly sent 'on behalf of the whole command of the 200th Motorised Rifle Brigade,' a soldier congratulates Sidorova with her birthday and thanks her for her patriotic contributions.
"Natalia Nikolayevna, a huge thanks for the important work you are doing for the education of the young generation in the spirit of patriotism, and for the attention you devote to the activities of Yunarmiya [the Youth Army]," a soldier says in the video.
"You know, in these times it is very important to understand with which values to vaccinate our children. And we know that we can count on your school," the warrior adds.
Also School No 5 has shipped aid to warriors on the front. In March this year, several boxes full of chocolate were sent from Pechenga to occupied Ukraine. "Chocolate for soldiers" was written on the boxes.
Both the 80th and the 200th Motorised Rifle Brigades are heavily involved in fighting on occupied Ukrainian land. Several hundred of their men are believed to have been killed.
Natalia Sidorova is actively promoting the activities of Russia's Youth Army (Yunarmiya) in her school. School No 5 in Pechenga is located only few kilometres from the border to Norway and Finland. It includes a brand new complex that was officially opened in December 2024.
Pechenga is a military town that houses the 200th Motorised Rifle Brigade.
