The strength of our future lies in our youth — in young men and women prepared to face the challenges of wartime. But how can military training compete with TikTok? How do we capture teenagers’ interest in a way that sticks and makes them eager to share what they’ve learned with their friends?
“Challenge accepted!” says the 1st International Legion for the Defense of Ukraine. Together with the Center for Patriotic Education, based at Lyceum No. 15 of the Lviv City Council, the legionnaires conducted a series of interactive lessons. Their goal: to familiarize students with the basics of military science.
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Less empty talk — more hands-on practice. That’s the Legion’s method. Real weapons and firsthand stories from the battlefield are far more motivating than a hundred patriotic slogans. And the instructor? A real battalion commander — Yan “Kenobi.” Because when working with youth, just like with a combat unit, nothing is trivial and direct contact is crucial.
The boys and girls had the opportunity to closely examine Western weapons and armored vehicles used by the Legion to carry out its missions. These included the HMMWV armored vehicle, DShK-M heavy machine gun, Browning M2, M240B, MG 42/59 and PKM machine guns, MK19 automatic grenade launcher, various pistols, submachine guns, assault and sniper rifles.
Thanks to the unit’s effective combat experience, the students also got to see a wide array of captured enemy weapons — arms that russian occupiers will never again use. Among them: the AK-12, DP-27, KORD machine gun, and many more.
As the commander shared his frontline experience, he could barely keep up with the stream of student questions. After all, such meetings are more than just lessons. The experience of real soldiers is a hundred times more valuable than any textbook. This is the kind of knowledge that will inspire a new generation of Ukrainian defenders.
The International Legion is proud to contribute to forming the first line of defense for our future — the active and prepared youth. We thank the organizers and all participants for their patriotism in action. We will stand firm — and we will win!
To learn more about the International Defense Legions of Ukraine, please follow the link: https://ildu.mil.gov.ua/
Dmytro Tolkachov
Photos and video: Valeria Nazimova
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