The Victory Museum, one of the largest museums of military history in Russia, has announced it will ring in the New Year by hosting a series of patriotic, World War II-themed games for children.
The game, called Protect New Year, will require its participants between 6 and 12 years old to “overcome dark forces” that have “raised their heads again and want to turn history back” — an apparent reference to Russia’s ongoing military offensive against what it calls “Nazis” in Ukraine.
According to the museum’s website, participating children “will have to find a way out of a tangled labyrinth, bypass booby traps” and “much more.”
“Having overcome all these obstacles, everyone will become a real defender of the Motherland!”
Last month, dozens of cities across Russia announced plans to scale back or cancel their New Year's Eve celebrations — the most festive holiday of the year in Russia — and use the funds to send aid to Russian soldiers and their families.
Russian authorities have been working to implement "military-patriotic" education for children and teens for several years.
This year, the Education Ministry introduced mandatory classroom discussions designed to foster patriotism into the national school curriculum.
The lessons — called “important conversations” — will include discussions about the war in Ukraine, which Moscow refers to as a “special military operation,” Education Minister Sergei Kravtsov said in September.
