Gun Talk with Young Cadets (Excerpt from 'Child Warriors of Donetsk')

Once a relic of the Soviet era, patriotic youth clubs in the Donetsk region of Ukraine are gaining new popularity, offering military training to their members. As young people practice assembling guns, marching, and military drills, a strong sense of allegiance flows through the ranks, with some members holding high aspirations of joining the Russian Federation army.

Up to 15 of these clubs compete in the annual Future Warrior Contest held in a local military academy, which is judged by the academy's members and former Russian military. The contestants battle each other in displays of military prowess, vying for the prize of a visit to a training camp near Moscow.

In this excerpt, VICE News speaks to young cadets about their experiences with guns, as they take a break from their military training at the Future Warrior Contest in Donetsk.

Watch "The All-Girl Soldier Club: Child Warriors of Donetsk" - http://bit.ly/1BJyiOf

Read "Flexing Its Military Might, Russia Is Pushing Sweden Into NATO's Arms" - http://bit.ly/1N5eHbC

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