The Russian Defense Ministry has announced that a group of Syrian children have joined the Military Academy Institute in Russia with the aim of preparing them to become officers in Bashar al-Assad’s regime forces.
The first group of Syrian children began the new academic year in the Institute of Railway Forces and Military Communications, part of the Military Academy for Logistics in the city of St. Petersburg.
This batch of eight children joined the international cooperation grade which was established at the academy in accordance with an agreement between Russia and the Bashar al-Assad regime, according to Russian media.
During a visit to the academy on Saturday, The Russian Deputy Defense Minister, Dmitry Bulgakov, said that this step was the first experiment of its kind and was being implemented following the decision by Defense Minister Sergei Shoygu to begin instructing Syrian students in Russian military educational institutions, including in preparation of officers.
He said that the eight Syrians were “war children” and that one of them was orphaned, adding: “The mission now is their seamless and professional involvement in normal life.”
He added: “We will exert all efforts to train these children to make them real officers in the future Syrian army.”
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
