Mumbai, September 29: Amid the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin is said to be targeting young beauty contestants by "indoctrinating" them to join his war against Ukraine. So far, boys have been encouraged and inspired to join the war against Ukraine. However, Putin is reportedly said to have shifted his focus on girls in the country.

As per a report in Mirror.Co.UK, schoolgirls aged 15 and 16 in Russia's Primorsky region are reportedly being introduced to "military-patriotic education". On the other hand, beauty pageant contestants have also been enlisted to "inspire" girls and women to join the fight for Putin's ally Alexander Lukashenko in neighbouring Belarus. Nuclear War Alert? Russia President Vladimir Putin Puts Nuke Capable ‘Satan 2’ Sarmat Missile to Combat Duty (Watch Video).

Schoolgirls Receive Military-Patriotic Education

The report states that nearly 75 schoolgirls received basic military guidance in Primorsky. The so-called "military guidance" to schoolgirls included drills, tactical fire and physical training, besides instructions on radiation and chemical and biological protection. The basic military guidance to the schoolgirls marked the first "female session" at the Avangard Centre for military-patriotic education of the youth.

The Vladimir Putin-led government is reportedly planning to enrol nearly 300 girls and 1,000 boys by the end of the year for the intensive five-day courses. The basic military guidance course is seen as a stepping stone to military careers or mobilisation in the country. The development comes as the membership numbers in Putin's Yunarmia, or Young Army, crossed 1.4 million. Russia Will Soon Have a 'New President', Vladimir Putin Made 'Wrong Choice', Says Wagner Group Amid Fight With Russian Military.

Reportedly, Putin's Yunarmia has been accused of militarising Russia's youngsters. In Belarus, participants of the Miss Belarus 2023 pageant were allegedly forced to attend a similar military instruction course. Sharing her experience, Nadezhda Tolstikova, winner of the Miss Top Model of Miss Belarus 2023 contest, said, "The impressions are simply amazing, I've already practiced shooting, I've shot with a rifle, and now it's just..."

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 29, 2023 12:37 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).