Russian Student Recruit Valery Averin Dies at 23 in Ukraine Strike as Drone Drive Spreads to 270 Schools
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 3
Russian Student Recruit Valery Averin Dies at 23 in Ukraine Strike as Drone Drive Spreads to 270 Schools
3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 3
Summary
Valery Averin, 23, was killed in a mortar strike near Russian-occupied Luhansk on April 8, days after telling his foster mother he had completed drone-operator training and was being sent somewhere with no phone signal.
His death highlights Russia's push to recruit students into its new unmanned systems troops, marketed as a one-year, high-tech and relatively safer route into the war as Moscow seeks replacements for heavy losses.
BBC Russian found recruitment activity at at least 95 universities and colleges by late February, while student outlet Groza later counted almost 270 institutions promoting the contracts, sometimes with cash, housing or academic incentives.
The safety pitch is undercut by battlefield realities: at least 920 Russian drone operators have been confirmed killed since 2022, and some student recruits have reportedly been diverted into frontline assault roles.
Averin is among 230,407 verified Russian military deaths compiled from open sources; analysts say that likely captures only 45% to 55% of the real toll, implying roughly 417,000 to 509,500 dead.
Russia promised students a safe, high-tech war. Why are they being sent into frontal assaults instead?
As Russia lures students and 27,000 foreign nationals to the front line, who is next in its global search for manpower?
Fatal Consequences and Coercion: The 2026 Russian Student Military Recruitment Campaign
Overview
The report highlights how the death of 18-year-old student Vladislav Gorbunov, who died near Luhansk just four months after signing a military contract, brought immediate public attention to Russia's new student recruitment campaign. This tragedy exposed the rapid deployment and dangers faced by young recruits, intensifying scrutiny and pressure on students as the campaign was seen as even more demanding than formal mobilization. With the summer exam session approaching, concerns grew about escalating pressure on students, revealing the severe risks and human costs tied to the ongoing recruitment drive.