Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Kyrylo Budanov held a meeting with heads of regional military administrations, government officials, and representatives of the Defense Forces on the implementation and financing of the national resistance training program. This program provides for the training of schoolchildren within the “Defense of Ukraine” subject, as well as students and civilians who are not subject to mobilization.
Deputy Head of the Office of the President Viktor Mykyta reported that 23 regional national resistance centers and 33 branches have already been established. Their operations are funded through regional and local budgets. More than 55% of instructors and staff are veterans.
“In total, in 2025–2026, 32,662 people in Ukraine have completed training. The best results were demonstrated by the Kyiv region (6,960), Zakarpattia region (4,698), Kharkiv region (3,056), Zaporizhzhia region (1,965), and the city of Kyiv (1,943),” Viktor Mykyta noted.
Minister of Education Oksen Lisovyi stated that 963 hubs for studying the “Defense of Ukraine” discipline have been established. These are specially equipped facilities in educational institutions, staffed by veterans and trained specialists.
“406,000 students are studying in these hubs – 65% of all upper-secondary students in Ukraine. This year, UAH 500 million has been allocated to open additional facilities. This will allow us to create another 160 hubs and cover up to 80% of upper-secondary students,” he added.
The national resistance training program for university students is set to begin this academic year: the theoretical part will start in October, and practical training will begin in January 2027. Civil servants must also undergo training in national resistance.
“In universities, the basics of national resistance are becoming a mandatory subject. For the first time, both men and women will study it,” noted Deputy Head of the Office of the President Iryna Vereshchuk.
Among the challenges is organizing training in frontline regions. The possibility of organizing training for schoolchildren and students at national resistance centers in safer regions is being considered.
“Let’s launch this process, and students from frontline regions will undergo training at centers in other regions. We will see where the issues are, how best to organize it, and refine the approach. Prepare the final program: who should be sent where and what the training schedule will be,” Kyrylo Budanov emphasized.
During the meeting, participants agreed to launch a pilot project for students from higher education institutions in the Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia regions, who will undergo training in the Kyiv and Zakarpattia regions in one month.
National resistance training centers offer courses lasting up to seven weeks. The program includes, among other things, first aid training, mine and explosive safety, handling small arms, working with drones and FPV simulators, studying communication systems, topography, and survival skills in challenging conditions.