As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine drags on, neighbors in the West are enforcing new rules to keep the younger generation ready for anything. Children in Poland as young as 14 years old are now taking part in gun training sessions to learn how to cope with threats caused by war and the basics of tactical rescue.
To protect students, the schools are using laser guns instead of live ammunition during one-hour weekly lessons.
In the country’s primary schools, eighth graders learn theoretical preparation on the safe handling of weapons, while children between 14 and 16 years old in secondary schools begin basic shooting lessons.
The laser-based training technology will be implemented in Poland’s 18,000 schools.
Some already offered the training but up until now, the lessons were optional.
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The changes, prepared by Poland’s National Defense Ministry, are in response to what the country says is an increasing threat to state security from the war in Ukraine.
Poland shares a border with Russia, also known as the Kaliningrad region, and Belarus, which is Russia’s ally.
Earlier this year, Poland’s army chief issued a warning to prepare for a possible war and said a conflict with Russia is becoming increasingly likely.
Poland plans to up its defense spending in 2025 with a $48.7 billion budget, which is a more than $7 billion increase from the previous year.
[Karah]
AS RUSSIA’S INVASION OF UKRAINE DRAGS ON – WESTERN NEIGHBORS ARE ENFORCING NEW RULES TO KEEP THE YOUNGER GENERATION READY FOR ANYTHING.
CHILDREN IN POLAND AS YOUNG AS 14 YEARS OLD ARE NOW TAKING PART IN GUN TRAINING SESSIONS … LEARNING HOW TO COPE WITH THREATS CAUSED BY WAR AND THE BASICS OF TACTICAL RESCUE.
THE SCHOOLS ARE USING LASER GUNS INSTEAD OF LIVE AMMUNITION TO PROTECT THE STUDENTS DURING ONE-HOUR WEEKLY LESSONS.
IN THE COUNTRY’S PRIMARY SCHOOLS … EIGHTH GRADERS LEARN THEORETICAL PREPARATION ON THE SAFE HANDLING OF WEAPONS WHILE CHILDREN BETWEEN 14 AND 16 YEARS OLD IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS BEGIN BASIC SHOOTING LESSONS.
THE LASER-BASED TRAINING TECHNOLOGY WILL BE IMPLEMENTED IN POLAND’S 18-THOUSAND SCHOOLS.
SOME ALREADY OFFERED THE TRAINING, BUT UP UNTIL NOW THE LESSONS WERE OPTIONAL.
THE CHANGES – PREPARED WITH POLAND’S NATIONAL DEFENSE MINISTRY – ARE IN RESPONSE TO WHAT THE COUNTRY SAYS IS AN INCREASING THREAT TO STATE SECURITY FROM THE WAR IN UKRAINE.
POLAND SHARES A BORDER WITH RUSSIA … ALSO KNOWN AS THE KALININGRAD REGION … *AND* BELARUS – RUSSIA’S ALLY … WITH POLAND’S ARMY CHIEF ISSUING A WARNING EARLIER THIS YEAR TO PREPARE FOR A POSSIBLE WAR … SAYING A CONFLICT WITH RUSSIA IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY LIKELY.
POLAND PLANS TO UP ITS DEFENSE SPENDING IN 20-25 WITH A 48-POINT-7 BILLION DOLLAR BUDGET … WHICH IS A MORE THAN 7 BILLION DOLLAR INCREASE FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
FOR SAN – I’M KARAH RUCKER.
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