Russian President Vladimir Putin will head the Supervisory Board of the Big Change federal movement for children and youth. He announced this during a meeting with participants in the movement, which was broadcast by the Russia 24 TV channel.

The movement "Big Change" was created as an analogue of the All-Union Pioneer Organization named after V. I. Lenin in June 2022. According to the bill, which was introduced by the State Duma on the day of the centenary of pioneers, the president will control all three permanent governing bodies: the supervisory board, the coordinating board and the board.

The congress is the highest governing body, but it only makes changes to the charter and basic documents of the organization. All important issues, in particular the agenda, are dealt with by bodies controlled by the President of Russia. Mentors will work with the participants of the movement. These "pioneer leaders" will not take "foreign agents" and "persons affiliated with them," the bill says.

The Insider talked to Russian teachers about what kind of movement it is and how voluntary it will be for participation. Some of the respondents are sure that the movement can turn into a “obligation” at schools, and become, as it was in late Soviet times, a dull bureaucratic instrument of education.