Ukraine will create military training centers for the population starting from school age

Civilian military training centers will be created in Ukraine, and the subject will be studied by school and university students regardless of gender.

The corresponding bill was passed by the Verkhovna Rada in its second and final reading.

According to the text of the document, basic combined-arms training for students will be replaced by a “comprehensive system” integrated into the educational process. The course will begin at the third level of complete general secondary education — that is, профильное среднее образование, or grades 10–12 — and will be conducted in general secondary schools, vocational institutions, and universities.

Attendance will be mandatory for all students regardless of gender. The practical part of the course will include, among other things, training in “skills for firing small arms,” and classes will be held at Armed Forces of Ukraine training grounds, firing ranges, and on interactive simulators.

The training will be conducted in specialized “centers for preparing citizens for national resistance” according to programs developed by Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense. As stated in the text of the bill, its goal is “to form in citizens the basic knowledge, skills, and readiness to join the ranks of the Armed Forces and other formations of the security sector,” as well as “to prepare the population for living in areas of military operations.”

The bill was introduced by a group of lawmakers in June of last year and passed in its first reading in December. It will now be sent to Volodymyr Zelensky for signature.

Since September of last year, Ukraine has had a basic military training program for university students. The program consists of theoretical and practical courses. The theoretical part is taught directly in educational institutions, and all students are required to attend it regardless of gender or health status. The practical course is mandatory for male students who are deemed fit for service on health grounds.

Instruction takes place at Armed Forces of Ukraine training centers. After completing the course, students receive a military occupational specialty and must take an oath. The Ministry of Defense previously warned that refusal to complete the practical course would be grounds for expulsion from the university.