Conflicts and militarization of education. Part III. Ukraine

National-patriotic camps

“Plast” was organizing educational military-patriotic camps in Ukraine using the scouting system from the beginning of the 20^th century. During the Soviet Union era, the activities of this organization were suspended and moved to the countries were many Ukrainians immigrated (USA, Canada, and others). At the same time, the Soviet government proposed its own alternative – pioneer camps, military-sports games “Lightning” and so on. Thus, although in line with a different ideological system, it has essentially preserved the tradition of organizing educational military-patriotic camps.

After independence, the nationalist gradually regained access to the organization of summer camps.  “Plast” returned to Ukraine already in the 1990s, and YNC started organizing activities during Yushenko’s presidency. However, despite the visible support on the part of the government[6], organization of camps was included in the state program only in 2015 at the initiative of the department of national-patriotic education at the Ministry of youth. As part of the cooperation program between the ministry and the civil society 380 thousand hryvnias (approx. 15 thousand dollars) of state, funds were allocated to the organization of patriotic camps in different parts of Ukraine (Ministry of Youth and Sports, 2019). The “Azovian” is the largest and most popular among all these camps.

The “Azovian” – national-patriotic camp is organized in the Kyiv region since 2015. Initially, the camp was designed for the children of volunteers serving in the Azov regiment and each camp session was able to recruit no more than 10-15 children. During the early years of the camp’s existence children were taught basic military skills: assembly and disassembly of a machine gun, tactical medicine, passing an obstacle course built according to NATO standards. During the past four years, the camp has grown significantly, and each camp session now has up to 90 kids. According to one of the organizers, in 2016 the initial military-patriotic camp was redesigned into a national-patriotic. It is assumed that this innovation will allow for more opportunities to influence the children. From now on it is possible to prepare “real patriots” not only through the use of tactical training but also through Ukrainian history education.

The webpage of the camp state that “Azovian” is a place were “new” (meaning “better” or “more appropriate”) generation of the nation is being educated. According to Andrey Beletsky, the chairman of the “National Corps” party (created based on the Azov regiment), the camp is home to “hundreds of young nationalists for whom honor, loyalty, family, fraternity and the Fatherland are not just words, but the meaning of life.” However, loud statements and nationalistic slogans alone are not enough to influence parents who have to consent and have a desire to send their children to the camp. Therefore, the organizers are trying to enhance the attractiveness of the camp, emphasizing also its rehabilitative functions.

According to the organizers, children in the camp will become stronger and healthier, will spend time outdoors, engage in physical activities and training (based on NATO standards) and will not waste time on the Internet and video games. Training personnel (“vikhovniki”) collect cell phones and other gadgets from children and allow children to use them only 15-20 minutes a day to contact their parents.  To the question posted on the website of the Youth Corps: “Why do children in the camp use wooden machine guns?” the officially provided answer is that the essence of these activities is not in creating future fighters, but inciting responsibility in children. It is easy to lose a machine gun.

The main goal of the camp is the development of “the spirit of brotherhood” which entails the popularization of the idea of national unity. To achieve this goal different disciplinary practices that are comparable with the ones used in the army are applied. Each violation is followed by physical punishments (push-ups, sit-ups, sprint). The punishment is applied not only to the violator but also to the entire squad. In some cases, it is applied to the entire camp. According to the camp organizers, these methods incite not only personal but also collective responsibility in children.

The day begins with work out and breakfast. Children can take a seat at the breakfast table only after everyone in the camp are gathered. This is followed by a daily morning solemn ritual. Children dress into similar uniform (T-shirt with Azov logo and camouflage shorts) and line up on the parade grounds. If somebody is late, the rest stay standing and wait for him/her. At the opening, the “bunchuzhni” (the main leader of the camp and the children’s mentor) reads the “prayer of the Ukrainian nationalist.” One of the founders of the OUN, Joseph Mashchak is considered to be the author of this text, created in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Everyone who joined the OUN had to memorize “prayer”. The same rules apply in the camp[7]. Lining up in the early morning on the parade ground, children and teenagers collectively chant:

Ukraine, Mother of Heroes, go down to my heart, come by the winds of Caucasian storm, by the noise of Carpathian streams, by the glorious battles of great Conqueror Father Hummel, by the triumph and loud guns of the Revolution, by the joyous hum of the Sophia‘s Bells. Let my soul revive in You, light by Your glory because you are all my life because you are all my happiness.

Call me with the clang of shackles, the creak of the gallows in a dull morning time, let me hear the cries of those tortured in cellars and prisons, and in exile, to solidify my faith, to grow my zeal, and my strength, so I courageously go into battle as the heroes went for you, for your glory, for your holy ideas; to avenge the shame of slavery, violated honor, the torture of your executioners, the innocent blood of your tortured children, the majestic death of the heroes of the Ukrainian nation and thousands of other unknown to us whose bones are scattered or secretly buried.

Burn with life-giving fire all the weakness in my heart. Let me not know what fear and hesitation are. Strengthen my spirit, temper my will, settle in my heart! Bring me up for bright things. Let me find death in those deeds, a sweet death in agony for you. And I will dissolve in you, and I will forever live in you, everlasting Ukraine, holy, powerful, cathedral! (The prayer of Ukrainian nationalist, http://kray.ridne.net/node/306).

During saying the prayer, it is not allowed to make extra noise or get distracted. Such behavior is punishable. Even those teenagers that position themselves as more liberal stressed that the moment of saying the prayer was very important to them.

“These words are so emotional that I had goosebumps every time… You learn about Cossacks from early childhood at school and you develop this enormous sense of pride and when you grow up and no matter how much you try and enlarge your world view and think that there are no nationalities and boundaries, no matter what you still feel pride and connection with your country.”

Different activities follow the morning ceremony: tactics, first medical aid, going through an obstacle course, history of Ukraine, assembly-disassembly of a model machine gun, robotics, kayaking, and others. According to one of the organizers, the 12 days of camp are not enough to give children enough knowledge that’s why the lessons are in essence using visuals and practical demonstration:

“… a variety of disciplines that gives you a choice. … Since it is a national-patriotic camp the most important is to instill them with love towards the country and teach them to think critically. They learn to assess the situation, develop own opinion and draw own conclusions.”

At the same time, the Ukrainian history teacher should not teach the same full course that repeats the school program but rather has to incite curiosity in the teenager to explore and study history on his own, as well as create an environment where the student will “understand why he is a Ukrainian.” Thus, the main goal of the instructors is to “educate good citizens.” For children to grow up as patriots no nominally but with a deep understanding of it they need to embrace…

“…that every step that they take in favor of themselves and the country is a good thing. They need to know that they can pick up the trash and engage in volunteer activities and do a lot of good even at their particular age.”

Subjects with a military focus are taught “just in case. It is better to know than not to know.” If in 2015 tactical medicine was one of the subjects taught at the camp, this course was later substituted with first aid course. The content of the course changes based on the age of the students. Organizers stress that they are concerned about children’s psychological well-being.  In their opinion, children under 14 should not be taught about death, which is a topic impossible to avoid when teaching tactical medicine.

Based on a similar conviction the camp does not focus on the propaganda of a certain enemy image whether it is a Russian or somebody else. “These are very dangerous games with the child’s psyche,” – say the organizers. During the tactical training children are taught to navigate the terrain, military disguise, and work as part of a team. There are no drills of enemy attacks. Several years ago, as part of a game, a night attack by the enemy was staged. Every child had a detailed role that was assigned to him/her and children had to sleep with a machine gun because the “attack” could have happened at any given night. At the same time, there was no specific description of the enemy.

The organizers claim that they don’t impose hatred towards Russia and just “teach to love Ukraine.” Instructors also mention “that Ukraine is at war with Russia during the last classes on the history of Ukraine.”  The topic of war is also covered by veterans who are often guest lecturers at the camp but only with the consent of the children.

Children at the camp can speak Russian but all personnel speaks only Ukrainian. Participants come from all parts of Ukraine – from Volnovakha to Uzhhorod. They also represent all social classes. Among camp participants, there are children of veterans and children of parliament deputies. According to the organizers, the singular “you” address is used in the camp. The organizers insist that “thankfully the children of separatists do not come to us.” But how do the organizers distinguish children of “separatists”? Presumably by excluding the residents of Luhansk and Donbas. Which would mean that many residents of Ukraine are branded as “separatists” and marginalized based on their place of residence.

The militaristic environment at the camp creates competition and defines the nature of gender inequality. According to interviewed participants, the most valued qualities in the camp are power and obedience. For example, the most honorable reward is the right to raise the Ukrainian flag in the morning. This honor is granted to those who behaved well during the previous day (was not late or tardy, succeeded on the obstacle course, helped a friend).

According to one of the participants, there is also a feeling that boys are more important than girls. For example, if someone has a comment regarding how the instructors choose the mode punishment these comments will not be taken into account. “What can you tell them? These are men who behave according to the logic ‘I came back from the war, I know it better!’.” And if the instructor does not apply punishment to his subjects it becomes a topic of mockery on the part of other camp personnel. This squad can be labeled with some humiliating labels (for example “hippie”).

Muscular disciplinary activities are one of the most important elements of the education process. According to the organizers, many children are sent to the camp for “re-education,” and for the camp to build a “real man” out of “mama’s boy.” As participants testify, it is really difficult to get used to the camp discipline in the beginning:

“You can’t do whatever you want there. If you do something wrong, the entire camp will be responsible for that.”

Children do not have a right to refuse to complete an assignment or simply to oppose the will of the instructor. Such behavior will be punished. Within 12 days of the camp, the majority gets used to the strict disciplinary regime. Those who do not get used to it and continue to “live by the wrong rules” are either hazed by other participants because they have to “pick up the slack” for someone else’s rebellion, or their parents take them home before the end of the shift. This happens during every camp session.