February 24, 2026

Drone festival held at HSE. Students offered to join drone troops and go to war in Ukraine

A drone festival was held at HSE in Moscow on February 24, the fourth anniversary of the war in Ukraine. As "Novaya-Europe" found out, military personnel attended the event at the university. They communicate with students and offer them to go to war in Ukraine by joining the drone troops. The Russian Ministry of Defense also distributes booklets to students, which talk about army service and benefits for those who serve under contract in unmanned system troops. Among other things, the festival features advertising for the tactical group "Stalin's Falcons." As "Radio Liberty" wrote, this unit trains people as operators for "Shahed" type drones. The group does not hide that it is associated with the "Alabuga" Special Economic Zone, where the Russian version of Iranian drones is produced. As "Novaya-Europe" noted, guests at the event were offered to control flying and ground drones, navigate a race track with neon gates, use drone control and assembly simulators, and also see drone developments and prototypes. Earlier, HSE management offered students facing expulsion a year of service in the unmanned troops of the Russian Armed Forces. Students were promised guaranteed discharge from military service, an academic leave for the contract period, payments, and training.