Russian schools and kindergartens hold ‘antiterrorism’ drills, forcing children to lie face down on the floor as weapons are pointed at them
Schools and kindergartens across Russia are holding antiterrorism drills on August 18–19, and kindergartens in several regions have begun posting photo reports of the exercises, according to the outlets Post- and Novaya Gazeta Europe.
The photos show children taking part in the drills: some hide in utility rooms, while others lie face down alongside their teachers, “taken hostage” with weapons pointed at them.
A stun grenade exploded during antiterrorism drills at a school in the village of Serkovo, in the Moscow region, injuring four teachers, according to the Russian Telegram channels 112, Mash, and Baza, which have ties to Russian security services.
Deputy Education Minister Alexander Bugaev had announced the drills a week earlier, saying they would test how teachers, administrators, and security guards respond to a hostage-taking, arson, or drone attack at schools and kindergartens. He made no mention of children taking part.
Bugaev said this would be the first time such drills were held in kindergartens, though Novaya Gazeta Europe reported that similar exercises had already been held in 2025.
At Meduza, we are committed to transparency about our use of artificial intelligence in the newsroom. The story you’re reading was written by one of our living, breathing journalists and translated from Russian using an AI model configured to follow our strict editorial standards. This translation process is the result of extensive testing and refinements to ensure our English-language coverage is timely and accurate. A Meduza editor reviews every draft before publication.
If you find any errors in this translation, please contact us at [email protected].
To read Meduza’s exclusive content in English, please subscribe to our newsletter.