As Russia’s losses mount in Ukraine, the Kremlin is reportedly turning to a troubling new source of manpower: college students. According to a BBC investigation cited by Greek outlet Ta Nea, a recruitment campaign targeting universities, technical colleges, and vocational schools began earlier this year.
Among the first known student casualties is Valery Averin, a 23-year-old who was killed in Ukraine after training in drone operations for just three months. His foster mother, Oksana Afanasieva, told the BBC that despite his drone training, “they threw him into a frontal assault, into the meat grinder.” Averin had never served in the military before enrolling.
The campaign underscores Moscow’s struggle to sustain its war effort without declaring full mobilization — a step that remains politically toxic. Instead, the state appears to be quietly funneling young people from classrooms to combat zones, raising questions about informed consent and the true scale of Russian casualties.
