Russian church school hires 'priest to teach combat drone piloting'

As Russia continues its invasion of Ukraine, it is conducting military training for school students, including how to shoot guns. It has been reported that a priest has been hired to teach students how to pilot combat drones at a Russian parish school.

Russia Hires Priest to Train Kids to Fly Combat Drones at Church School
https://www.newsweek.com/russia-priest-school-children-kids-operate-combat-drones-military-training-1825230

In Russia, military education will become compulsory for high school students starting from the new semester in September 2023. Military education includes classroom lessons on national defense and security, as well as instruction on combat techniques and how to use automatic rifles.

Schools are also hiring specialized instructors for military education, and a church school in the Krasnodar region has recently hired a priest to teach students how to fly combat drones.

According to Father Igor Biryukov, who was hired as a drone piloting instructor, the school plans to use simulators and actual drones to teach piloting techniques. At the time of writing, the school has three laptops for drone piloting simulations and several actual drones, and plans to expand the facilities as funding increases.

Since 'combat drone operation' is included as part of the military education curriculum that will be mandatory in Russia from September 2023, it is likely that other schools will also be offering drone operation training to existing teachers and newly hired specialists.

It has been reported that combat drones are actually being used by the Russian military in operations, with drone attacks on grain storage facilities in Ukraine, and that the Ukrainian military has also deployed drones, including cardboard drones, to destroy Russian military fighter jets.

Detailed explanation of the specs and features of the 'cardboard drone' that the Ukrainian military used to destroy Russian military aircraft with images - GIGAZINE