Russia Stages National Cyber War Games to Train Student Defenders
At the end of October, Russian students will step into large-scale cyber war games, defending against simulated hacks in a bid to train the country’s next generation of digital guardians.
Russia is putting cybersecurity training into action with competitive, hands-on drills. The third annual National Cyber Drills will kick off in late October on a specially designed cyber range.
The event will be hosted at Ural Federal University during the IT congress Forum of the Future. Two teams face off: Red Team as the attackers and Blue Team as the defenders. The range replicates a real corporate IT infrastructure with precision.
Day one belongs to the Red Team, which launches full-scale hacker attacks. On day two, the Blue Team fights back. After the showdown, both sides join forces to investigate the breaches and discuss stronger defenses. The scenarios, refreshed every year, are based on real-world incidents. This year’s prize: a trip to the international cyber festival Positive Hack Days 2026.
Organizers say the drills give students not only practice but confidence for the moment they face real cyberattacks on the job. The experience also underscores how urgently society needs their skills—and how vital they are to the country’s information security.
