The Role of the Yalta Branch of DOSAAF in the Militarisation of Children in the Temporarily Occupied Territory
The Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol have been under the occupation of the Russian Federation (hereinafter – RF, Russia) for over 11 years. During this time, Russia has established a comprehensive system for the eradication of Ukrainian identity among children and youth, which includes indoctrination, militarisation, the deliberate removal of Ukrainian studies from the education system, and the promotion of a culture of war and service in the Russian Armed Forces.
For more details on the Russian system of identity destruction in the TOT, see the article by the CCE "Almenda" at the link.
Those responsible for this criminal policy in the temporarily occupied territories (TOT) include not only the occupation authorities of the state and local governments, but also educational institutions, youth and children’s organisations, and other public associations. One of the main bodies responsible for enforcing this strategy of promoting militaristic ideology and encouraging service in the Russian Armed Forces has been the branches of the “Voluntary Society for Assistance to the Army, Aviation, and Navy of Russia” (commonly known by its Russian abbreviation, DOSAAF – “Dobrovolnoye obshchestvo sodeystviya armii, aviatsii i flotu Rossii”).
The Activities of DOSAAF
DOSAAF is a militarised organisation that, since the Soviet era, has been involved in preparing the population for military service. In modern-day Russia, DOSAAF has effectively become a part of the mechanism for militarising the population, particularly minors. DOSAAF’s activities are funded by the budget and are directly controlled by the state: the organisation is influenced by Russia’s law enforcement and security agencies, and the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation ensures the quality of training.
For a detailed explanation of DOSAAF, read the article "Preparing Youth for Service in the Russian Armed Forces: Militarisation of Children in Occupied Crimea through DOSAAF" at the link.
According to its charter, the organisation’s activities cover the entire territory of Russia and are implemented through a network of regional (interregional), local, and primary branches, offices, and representative units. After the occupation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, as well as parts of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions, Russia extended DOSAAF’s activities to these territories, using the organisation as a tool for militarisation and encouraging service in the Russian Armed Forces among Ukrainian children and youth. In terms of organisational structure, primary and local branches report to higher-level units, which are overseen by central governing bodies: the chairman, supervisory board, central council, and the assembly. However, primary and local units play a significant role in spreading militaristic ideology in the TOT, operating under the leadership of individuals loyal to the occupation regime. One of the most active in propagandistic activities in the TOT is the “Local Branch of DOSAAF of Russia in the town of Yalta”.
Militarisation Hub in Yalta: Those Responsible
The Yalta branch of DOSAAF was officially registered as a non-commercial organisation for professional education, “Yalta Automobile School of the Crimean Regional Public Organisation ‘Voluntary Society for Assistance to the Army, Aviation, and Navy (DOSAAF)’” in the Russian Federation’s legal entities register on 4 March 2015. The organisation’s primary goal is “physical and ideological (moral and volitional) preparation of youth for the defence of the Motherland (note: Russia)”. Since its registration, the director has been Vladimir Nikolayevich Babko, who was re-elected to the same position for a five-year term in May 2024.
For reference:
Vladimir Babko is a citizen of Ukraine, born on 16 May 1969, a Ukrainian military serviceman who worked at the Yalta Town Military Commissariat from 1991 to 2009. Since 26 July 2013, he was listed as the leader of the public organisation “Yalta Town Organisation of the Society for the Promotion of Defence of Ukraine”. After the occupation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, he collaborated with the occupiers and began promoting Russian narratives among children and youth in the TOT. For his activities in the interests of the aggressor country, by the decree of the so-called head of the “Republic of Crimea”, Sergey Aksyonov, on 19 February 2021, gratitude was announced to Vladimir Babko “for his conscientious work, high professionalism, and in connection with Defender of the Fatherland Day”. In 2021, he was also added to the honour board in occupied town of Yalta. His shift to supporting the occupation authorities became a clear example of how defence-oriented institutions were transformed into tools for the ideological manipulation of children.
What are Сhildren Taught at the Yalta DOSAAF??
The Yalta DOSAAF has developed the programme “A Sacred Duty – Defending the Motherland” (referring to Russia), which includes regular training sessions aimed at teaching children military-like skills and promoting a positive attitude towards the Russian Armed Forces. These activities are often disguised as “patriotic education” and are organised in playful or competitive forms to minimise criticism and conceal the true nature of the activities. Additionally, under the programme “A Sacred Duty – Defending the Motherland”, children regularly have meetings with Russian military personnel involved in the war against Ukraine, aimed at heroising them and promoting a culture of war:
- On 18 March 2025, soldiers from the front line handed children a book with the author signature from the so-called “Defender of Yalta” with the call sign “Rusal”, titled “Storming Bakhmut, Call Sign ‘Constable’”. The children were also tasked with making five boxes of trench candles, which contained personal messages for Russian servicemen. It is worth noting that the involvement of children in activities supporting the army of the occupying country is a regular occurrence.
- On 22 March 2025, a meeting with a participant of the so-called “Special Military Operation” with the call sign “Skif” was organised at the zonal centre for military-patriotic education and preparation of citizens for military service, “Yuzhnoberezhny”. The children studied the tactical and technical characteristics of the Kalashnikov assault rifle and practised UAV operation.
Military-patriotic training of children and youth, and the imposition of the idea that defending Russia is their duty, is carried out by DOSAAF under the guise of games, competitions, and tournaments. During these activities, children as young as six are encouraged by the competitive nature, rewarded with prizes, and motivated by the slogan “SHARP EYE, STEADY HAND, STRIKE THE ENEMY WITH CONFIDENCE!”
Military training activities by the Yalta DOSAAF are also carried out for children unlawfully deported from other TOT:
- Children from the TOT of Donetsk region, who are members of the military-patriotic club “Eaglet”, participated in joint practical shooting training.
- Children from the Kupiansk district of Kharkiv region (at the time of their deportation it was temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation) participated in an event where representatives of the occupation authorities and participants of the so-called “Special Military Operation” spoke about the heroism of soldiers in carrying out orders to defend the Motherland (note: referring to Russia). The children took part in the training for military-applicable disciplines, participated in shooting competitions with air rifles, laser tag games, a masterclass in army hand-to-hand combat, and more.
All activities and events organised by the Yalta DOSAAF are effectively aimed at the militarisation of children and preparing them for service in the Russian Armed Forces, as evidenced by the organisation’s continued involvement in conscription campaigns:
- In 2022, the Yalta branch of DOSAAF, under the leadership of Vladimir Babko, organised a ceremonial send-off for 15 young men from the TOT of Yalta to serve in the Russian Armed Forces as part of the “Spring 2022” conscription campaign).
- In 2018, Volodymyr Babko, as the director of the Yalta branch of DOSAAF, joined the main conscription commission of the TOT of Yalta with his consent, where, at one of the meetings, he stated: “…A great deal of work is being done in the region on military-patriotic education of the younger generation, and the conscripts fully understand the necessity and importance of serving in the military for the benefit of their Motherland, as the defence of the Motherland is the duty and responsibility of the citizens of Russia”.
- In 2022, the Yalta DOSAAF organised five-day military field training exercises for 300 10th-grade pupils from the TOT of Yalta as part of an agreement on preparing citizens for military service.
- In 2023, a field training session titled “Crimean Frontier” was held for children, during which Volodymyr Babko remarked: “Wishing our boys success in combat and political training! Only through collective efforts can we raise a strong, motivated, victory-driven generation, endlessly loyal to our Motherland, ready to defend our country (note: Russia) at the first command.”
- As part of the “Spring 2024” conscription campaign, the board of the Yalta DOSAAF congratulates its graduate cadets of the military-sports club “Marksman”, who have taken the military oath of allegiance to Russia. It is also noted that with each conscription campaign, the Russian Armed Forces are bolstered by graduates who have completed training at DOSAAF of Russia in the town of Yalta, Republic of Crimea.
- In the summer and autumn of 2024, the preparation of youth for military service continued: children who are members of DOSAAF of Russia from Yalta participated in military-tactical training sessions using the laser tag system. The Yalta DOSAAF organised the autumn training field exercises “KVIF-2024”, where children dug trenches, built bunkers, studied weaponry, tactics, and the uniforms of Russian servicemen.
The Russian Federation continues its deliberate militarisation of children and youth in the TOT of Ukraine, using numerous mechanisms, one of which is the activities of DOSAAF branches. Under the guise of military-patriotic education, these structures are effectively preparing children for service in the Russian Armed Forces, involving them in ideological indoctrination, training, and military activities. However, each such event has specific executors and organisers responsible for its implementation.
Vladimir Babko is one such figure: as the head of the Yalta branch of DOSAAF, he is involved in the indoctrination of children and youth in the temporarily occupied territories in line with Russian ideology. His activities are aimed at eradicating Ukrainian identity and shaping adolescents’ perception of Russia as the Motherland that must be defended with arms.
It is crucial that everyone involved in violations of children’s rights be held accountable, as this is an essential step towards restoring justice and laying the foundations for ensuring non-recurrence.
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.
