Police official promotes network aimed at securing loyalty from children to Łukašenka

March 18, Pozirk. Children should be ready “to stand up for the country and the president” and react to “slander and extremism at different levels,” Mikałaj Karpiankoŭ, a key figure in police violence against regime critics in 2020, has told state media journalists.

Karpiankoŭ, promoted to interior minister and interior troops commander for his role in suppressing the protests, made the remark while speaking about military-patriotic clubs, which he considers “a special pride” of the interior troops. The youth militarization network is funded through the Young Guard charity established by the government for the purpose.

“Our movement is aimed at promoting service to the Fatherland,” he stressed, noting that being smart, strong, handsome and trained to defend the country is in fashion among teenagers.

Military-patriotic club graduates make up an entire platoon among Military Academy freshmen, Karpiankoŭ boasted.

More than 5,500 children enrolled in the interior ministry’s 159 military-patriotic clubs set up to assist law enforcers “at the most crucial moments,” Anton Siankievič, the ministry’s chief ideology officer, said a few months ago.

The clubs provide basic military training accompanied by intensive indoctrination. Police officers and contract and enlisted military servicemen reportedly train school students in tactics, military map reading, field fortification, arms handling and hand-to-hand combat.

Indoctrination of school students intensified after the 2020 postelection protests in Belarus as the government keeps seeking loyalty and obedience.

In addition, authorities in Belarus have equated criticism, solidarity, advocacy, the free media and free expression to extremism and terrorism.

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