

Not theme park attractions, but weapons: How “Patriot” parks train children from occupied territories for war on Russia’s side
On January 15, 2025, the United States imposed new sanctions against Russia. This sanctions package, in particular, included the Federal State Autonomous Institution “The Exhibition and Convention Center “Patriot”, registration number 1023601560465, located in the Moscow region.
The Patriot Exhibition and Convention Center was established on 10.12.2015 by order of the former Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Sergey Shoigu. The Center’s activities are focused on organizing international and national events in the field of congress and exhibition activities in the interests of the Russian Ministry of Defense: exhibitions and conferences demonstrating the latest models of the military-industrial complex of the Russian Federation are held here. The Patriot Exhibition and Convention Center appeared the year after the start of the war against Ukraine, which may indicate its role in demonstrating Russia’s military power and influence in the international arena.






Today, the Patriot Exhibition and Convention Center is an object of the Patriot Central Military-Patriotic Park of Culture and Recreation of the Russian Armed Forces (hereinafter, the Patriot Central Military-Patriotic Park): the order on its creation was issued on October 30, 2014. The laying of the memorial stone at the site of the future park took place with the participation of Sergei Shoigu and the Governor of the Moscow Region, Andrei Vorobyov, on June 09, 2014. Its official opening took place on June 16, 2015. In addition to the Patriot Exhibition and Convention Center, the Park also includes a tank museum, a center for military tactical games, a multifunctional firing center, and an arms exhibition dedicated to the so-called “special military operation”, as well as an exhibition dedicated to the “conflict in Syria” and others.
Children from the TOT also visit the Patriot Center. In July 2024, Sevastopol students — participants of the “Battle Pages of the History of the Fatherland” competition held in the Russian Federation — visited the park. In the summer of 2022, the United Russia party organized a trip to the park for 85 school graduates from the TOT of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.




The launch of the Patriot was the first stage in the creation of similar facilities by the Russian Ministry of Defense in other military districts of Russia (including the occupied territories of Ukraine). Thus, in 2018, the so-called “Patriot Military-Patriotic Park of Culture and Recreation of the Southern Military District” was established in the TOT of Sevastopol.
Patriot Park in the TOT of Sevastopol: a history of its development


The so-called Patriot Park of the Southern Military District was created in the TOT of Sevastopol on 03.10.2018 by order of the then Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Sergey Shoigu. The park was registered on 20.05.2019 as a “federal state budgetary institution”.
The main objectives of the “institution”, in particular, are:
- exercising the powers of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation in the areas of culture, physical culture and sports as provided for by Russian legislation;
- fostering patriotism and citizenship, pride in the Russian Federation and its Armed Forces;
- formation of a positive public attitude to military service and positive motivation among young people to perform military service under contract and conscription;
- carrying out educational, research, educational and museum activities on the basis of objects and collections of samples of weapons, military and special equipment, military and technical property, military and dual-use products;
- ensuring combat training activities for troops (forces);
- organizing and conducting sports and recreational activities for the development of physical culture and sports, etc.
The so-called Patriot Park of the Southern Military District includes such units as:
- “Central”
It is located in the central part of occupied Sevastopol. In particular, it hosts an exposition of military equipment on a regular basis and quite often hosts large-scale “cultural events”. In 2023, the Naval Aviation Center “Crimea. Sky. Airplanes”, opened on the premises of this branch and according to the director of the center, its activities are primarily aimed at children.
- “Mine Landing Wall” (naval historical complex)
The main object is the warship “Smetlivyi”. For example, in January 2025, this vessel was visited by students of Sevastopol schools No. 60 and No. 32, as well as 4th grade students of the Engineering School (TOT of Sevastopol), where they were told during an excursion “about service in the navy and the traditions of Russian sailors”. And in September 2024, the complex was visited by children from the TOT of Zaporizhzhia and Luhansk regions.
- “Matyushenko Bay” (naval historical complex)
It presents an exposition of naval equipment and aviation.
- Military-tactical unit “Mekenziyevy Gory”
The main activity of this branch is the “support of military-patriotic activity of the population in any form”, and there is a military-tactical games center on its territory. Teams compete on a regular basis in various scenarios, including those involving military equipment.
- Military tactical unit “Alsu”
It was created for “active patriotic and educational work”, is located in Balaklava.
Patriot Park’s militaristic activities on the TOT in Sevastopol with the participation of children
Militaristic games with the participation of children from the TOT are regularly held on the basis of the so-called Patriot Park of the Southern Military District. The first military sports game of the same name, Patriot, was held in 2017, even before the park was officially opened: in September, 300 children (about 60 teams) from occupied Crimea and Sevastopol, as well as from the Artek camp (TOT of Crimea), competed in history competitions, overcame an obstacle course, ran a relay race, and passed the “Ready for work and defense” (in Russian, GTO) standards.
In the Pariot Park in the TOT of Sevastopol, the military-patriotic game “Heirs of Heroes” was held, in which 200 children aged 8 to 17 took part. Schoolchildren from the Sevastopol Cadet Corps of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, military-patriotic and sports clubs competed in trials esentially aimed at preparing them for service in the Russian army: assembling and disassembling an AK-74 rifle, drill training, grenade throwing, overcoming an obstacle course, airgun shooting, and a historical quest.


The organizers emphasize that the main goal of the event is not only to develop physical skills, but also to foster patriotism and teamwork. The game is supported by government agencies, including the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs and the Presidential Grants Fund, which indicates a systematic approach to the militarization of children in the TOT of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol.
One of the main organizers of militarized events in the park is the Sevastopol branch of the Russian youth movement “Young Army” (Yunarmiya), headed by the sanctioned Vladimir Kovalenko. The US, Switzerland, the EU, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan have imposed sanctions against him. In addition, in 2023, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison (trial in absentia) by the Podilskyi District Court of Kyiv.


Under the leadership of Kovalenko and with the support of Russian military structures, in 2023-2024, the military-patriotic program “School of Future Commanders” was held in the Patriot Park. It was attended by children from various educational institutions, the Artek camp (TOT of Crimea), as well as members of the Young Army and military-patriotic clubs, who received intensive training in the basics of warfare.




The children were trained in shooting from various types of weapons, working with drones, tactical medicine, maritime training, protection against weapons of mass destruction, drill training, and the history of the Komsomol movement. As part of the program, teenagers, together with Leninist Komsomol activists, painted copies of victory banners for the participants of the so-called “special military operation”.




The events were attended by Russian military personnel, including participants in the war against Ukraine. Among the “honored” guests were Anna Molchanova, head of the “Movement of the First” in Sevastopol, Vladimir Kovalenko, head of the Sevastopol branch of the “Young Army”, representatives of the military enlistment office, the command of the Russian Black Sea Fleet and other Russian defense and security agencies.


The Patriot Park, created by the Russian Ministry of Defense in the temporarily occupied Sevastopol, is a tool in Russia’s hands to militarize children and youth in the TOT and to form a potential mobilization reserve for the Russian army, which is a violation of international law. In addition, it plays an important role in consolidating Russian influence on the local population, distorting historical memory and imposing Russian identity.
This article was prepared with the financial support of the Czech organisation People in Need, as part of the SOS Ukraine initiative. The contents of the publication do not necessarily reflect their position.