Latest news with #civil resistance
The Independent
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Lithuania to teach school children how to use drones to counter Russian threat
Children in Lithuania will be taught how to build and operate drones as the country builds its capacity to counter the potential threat of a Russian attack. The government in Vilnius aims to teach more than 22,000 people drone skills as it looks to 'expand civil resistance training'. The initiative, led jointly by the defence and education ministries, will see children aged eight and above among the thousands taught how to build and pilot drones. The first three drone centres are due to open in September and the remaining six by 2028. The plan is for 15,500 adults and 7,000 children to be taught drone skills by 2028, defence minister Dovilė Šakalienė said. It will be adapted to different age groups, with children between eight and 10 years old learning to build and pilot simple drones, meanwhile secondary-school students would learn to design and manufacture drone parts. The older children would also learn how to build and fly the more-advanced 'first-person view' drones which have been a vital element of both Ukraine and Russia's war strategies. Drones have become increasingly common in everyday life and warfare in recent years. The Nato country of about 2.8 million people on the alliance's eastern flank borders both Russia's Kaliningrad exclave and Moscow-allied Belarus - and since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine it has been on high-alert regarding the Russian threat. The Lithuanian government plans a total investment of more than €3.3m into the plan. 'The youngest participants will engage in simple drone construction and piloting through games and experiments,' said Tomas Godliauskas, Lithuania's vice-minister of national defence. He said that the training would deepen children's 'technical literacy' through extracurricular courses. 'Secondary students will learn programming basics alongside indoor drone piloting and construction, while upper secondary students will design 3D drone parts and construct FPV drones,' he added. Lithuania's active use of drones has grown and is motivating its increasing focus on drone technology. In July, two incidents were recorded in which suspected Russian drones crossed from Belarus into Lithuanian territory. A report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) earlier this year found that Russia had begun teaching thousands of school children in the occupied Ukrainian territories how to use drones. The report found that drone development had become a strategic state project in Russia, looking into research and manufacturing but also how to create a large-scale production base.
The Guardian
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Lithuania to give children drone training to counter Russia threat
Children in Lithuania are to be taught how to build and operate drones as part of the small Baltic country's efforts to build capacity to deal with any future threat from Russia. In a joint initiative by the defence and education ministries, the government said on Tuesday it hoped to teach more than 22,000 people, including schoolchildren, drone skills as part of an attempt to 'expand civil resistance training'. The programme would be adapted to different age groups, with third- and fourth-grade students of between eight and 10 years old learning to build and pilot simple drones, the government said. Secondary school students will design and manufacture drone parts and learn how to build and fly advanced drones. Like its neighbours Estonia and Latvia, Lithuania, a country of 2.8 million people that borders the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad and Moscow's ally Belarus, has been on high alert for war ever since Vladimir Putin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The perception of a Russian threat in the Baltic states was underlined on Wednesday by the expulsion of a Russian diplomat from Estonia. Estonia's foreign minister, Margus Tsahkna, said it was due to 'ongoing interference' in the state's affairs. 'The diplomat in question has been directly and actively involved in undermining the constitutional order and legal system of Estonia … The Russian embassy's ongoing interference in the internal affairs of the Republic of Estonia must end,' Tsahkna said. In Lithuania, the government plans to spend €3.3m (£2.9m) on specialist equipment including indoor and outdoor first-person-view drones, control and video transmission systems and a mobile app for training on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The defence minister, Dovilė Šakalienė, said: 'We plan that 15,500 adults and 7,000 children will acquire drone control skills by 2028. In September we will open drone control centres in Jonava, Tauragė and Kėdainiai, and we will open six more drone training centres in other regions of Lithuania by 2028.' The training will be conducted by the Lithuanian riflemen's union in conjunction with the Lithuanian non-formal education agency, which will train children in primary and secondary schools. Lithuania has been increasing its focus on drone technology, with UAVs extensively used for counter-drone capabilities over its borders after two incidents in July when two suspected Russian drones crossed from Belarus into Lithuanian territory. In Russia the training of children in drones has been controversial, with revelations last month over the alleged systematic involvement of children in the design and testing of the technology using video games.
The Guardian
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Lithuania to give children drone training to counter Russia threat
Children in Lithuania are to be taught how to build and operate drones as part of the small Baltic country's efforts to build capacity to deal with any future threat from Russia. In a joint initiative by the defence and education ministries, the government said on Tuesday it hoped to teach more than 22,000 people, including schoolchildren, drone skills as part of an attempt to 'expand civil resistance training'. The programme would be adapted to different age groups, with third- and fourth-grade students of between eight and 10 years old learning to build and pilot simple drones, the government said. Secondary school students will design and manufacture drone parts and learn how to build and fly advanced drones. Like its neighbours Estonia and Latvia, Lithuania, a country of 2.8 million people that borders the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad and Moscow's ally Belarus, has been on high alert for war ever since Vladimir Putin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The perception of a Russian threat in the Baltic states was underlined on Wednesday by the expulsion of a Russian diplomat from Estonia. Estonia's foreign minister, Margus Tsahkna, said it was due to 'ongoing interference' in the state's affairs. 'The diplomat in question has been directly and actively involved in undermining the constitutional order and legal system of Estonia … The Russian embassy's ongoing interference in the internal affairs of the Republic of Estonia must end,' Tsahkna said. In Lithuania, the government plans to spend €3.3m (£2.9m) on specialist equipment including indoor and outdoor first-person-view drones, control and video transmission systems and a mobile app for training on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The defence minister, Dovilė Šakalienė, said: 'We plan that 15,500 adults and 7,000 children will acquire drone control skills by 2028. In September we will open drone control centres in Jonava, Tauragė and Kėdainiai, and we will open six more drone training centres in other regions of Lithuania by 2028.' The training will be conducted by the Lithuanian riflemen's union in conjunction with the Lithuanian non-formal education agency, which will train children in primary and secondary schools. Lithuania has been increasing its focus on drone technology, with UAVs extensively used for counter-drone capabilities over its borders after two incidents in July when two suspected Russian drones crossed from Belarus into Lithuanian territory. In Russia the training of children in drones has been controversial, with revelations last month over the alleged systematic involvement of children in the design and testing of the technology using video games.
The Independent
12-08-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Lithuania to teach thousands, including schoolchildren, how to build and pilot drones
Lithuania's government said Tuesday it plans to open nine drone training centers over the next three years to teach thousands of people, including schoolchildren, skills in flying and building the machines. Drones have become increasingly common in everyday life and warfare in recent years. Lithuania's project aims to strengthen the public's abilities in drone control and engineering and 'expand civil resistance training,' its defense and education ministries said in a statement. Lithuania, a NATO member country of about 2.8 million people on the alliance's eastern flank, borders both Russia 's Kaliningrad exclave and Moscow-allied Belarus, and is aware of possible threats to its security. The first three drone centers are due to open in September and the remaining six by 2028. The plan is for 15,500 adults and 7,000 children to be taught drone skills by 2028, Defense Minister Dovilė Šakalienė said. The government said the program will be adapted to different age groups. Third- and fourth-grade students will learn to build and pilot simple drones while high-school students will design and manufacture drone parts and learn how to build and fly advanced 'first-person view' drones. It plans a total investment of more than 3.3 million euros ($3.8 million).
Associated Press
12-08-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Lithuania to teach thousands, including schoolchildren, how to build and pilot drones
VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — Lithuania's government said Tuesday it plans to open nine drone training centers over the next three years to teach thousands of people, including schoolchildren, skills in flying and building the machines. Drones have become increasingly common in everyday life and warfare in recent years. Lithuania's project aims to strengthen the public's abilities in drone control and engineering and 'expand civil resistance training,' its defense and education ministries said in a statement. Lithuania, a NATO member country of about 2.8 million people on the alliance's eastern flank, borders both Russia's Kaliningrad exclave and Moscow-allied Belarus, and is aware of possible threats to its security. The first three drone centers are due to open in September and the remaining six by 2028. The plan is for 15,500 adults and 7,000 children to be taught drone skills by 2028, Defense Minister Dovilė Šakalienė said. The government said the program will be adapted to different age groups. Third- and fourth-grade students will learn to build and pilot simple drones while high-school students will design and manufacture drone parts and learn how to build and fly advanced 'first-person view' drones. It plans a total investment of more than 3.3 million euros ($3.8 million).
