MAKHACHKALA, March 25 – RIA Dagestan. Sergei Melikov, Head of Dagestan and Secretary of the regional branch of United Russia political party, proposed strengthening military-patriotic education and restoring systematic initial military training (IMT) during discussions on the "People's Program" at the regional forum "There Is a Result!".
According to the regional governor, the current level of recruit training falls short of modern requirements, with unprepared individuals posing risks both to combat missions and to their own safety. Melikov noted that present training efforts are barely on par with the standards established 29 years ago. He stressed the importance of developing military-applied sports and games such as "Zarnitsa" to cultivate collectivism and strengthen team decision-making skills.
Melikov proposed to include a section on military-patriotic education in the updated party program and to expand the discipline "Fundamentals of Safety and Defense of the Motherland" in school curriculum. The groundwork has been laid, the senior official said— but without a clear, structured framework to channel those efforts, progress remains elusive. What is needed now, he stressed, is coordinated action among all parties involved to turn potential into tangible results.