Schoolchildren developed protection for AI robots at the Olympics in Kazan.

      The final of the National Technological Olympiad in the new profile "Constructive Security" has concluded at Kazan Federal University (KFU). It involved 57 school students from 12 regions of Russia. Participants developed protection architecture for autonomous systems operating under artificial intelligence control. The profile was created in collaboration with "Kaspersky Lab" and aims to prepare specialists capable of designing systems with built-in resilience to cyber threats from the outset. Over several days, the finalists tackled one of the key challenges of modern robotics – ensuring the safety of autonomous devices. They worked on the "EcoBot" project – a robot for cleaning water bodies. Unlike classical approaches, participants applied principles of cyber-immune development and constructive information security. Their task was to create a system where critically important functions remain protected even in the event of a hack or failure of the main algorithm. The students implemented a security domain separation mechanism that prevents the device from going out of control and causing harm to the environment. Dmitry Kutsenko, head of the NTO project office, noted that the expansion of the Olympiad's geography and the involvement of new university teams is linked to the technological development goals of the country. According to him, the NTO is forming a community of young engineers capable of solving applied problems, and collaboration with KFU and "Kaspersky Lab" strengthens this work and helps attract talented students from across the country. More than 1,000 students registered for the "Constructive Security" profile, but after two qualifying rounds, 57 made it to the final in Kazan. The university reminded that Tatarstan has been participating in the Olympiad for over ten years. Ilnur Khairullin, Vice-Rector for Additional Education, reported that over 9,300 students from the republic have participated in the NTO over 11 years, and nearly a thousand applications were submitted this year alone. He emphasized that the emergence of a strong profile in Kazan is particularly important as it attracts students from various regions and gives them the opportunity to work on real engineering challenges in the university's scientific environment. Vyacheslav Borilin, development manager of the technical community at "Kaspersky Lab," pointed out that the Olympiad tasks already go beyond academic challenges and are related to future technologies. According to him, participants are not just programming the robot's movement but are learning to design autonomous systems that can be trusted in real environments. He stressed that with the increasing use of AI in equipment management, the need for secure architecture is growing, and it is important that students are mastering this approach now. On April 17, the jury determined the winners. In the individual competition, they were Roman Saveliev (School No. 1560 "Leader," Moscow), Petr Shokurov (School No. 1575, Moscow), Yaroslav Sharipov (Second St. Petersburg Gymnasium), and Aleksandra Ivanova (Lyceum No. 41, Izhevsk). The prize winners included Alexander Kravchenko (School No. 548 "Tsaritsyno," Moscow), Denis Lomakin (School No. 1366, Moscow), Mikhail Martynov, Maxim Korolev, and Viktor Avseitsev (School No. 1575, Moscow), Ksenia Shuchalina (Engineering Lyceum of NSTU, Novosibirsk), Sergey Nekrasov (School No. 3, Kuibyshev), Maria Yakusheva (Gymnasium No. 1, Smolensk), Georgy Spitsin (Second St. Petersburg Gymnasium), and Ivan Sakaev ("Supernova School," Leningrad Region).

      In the team competition, the team from the multidisciplinary Lyceum No. 20 of Ulyanovsk – Denis Lomakin, Ksenia Shuchalina, and Anastasia Vasilieva – won first place. The second place was taken by the team of Petr Shokurov, Maxim Korolev, Viktor Avseitsev, and Mikhail Martynov. The third place went to the team of Roman Saveliev, Maria Yakusheva, Sergey Nekrasov, and Timerlan Sagdeev from Gymnasium No. 3 of Kazan. The winners received educational certificates from "Kaspersky Lab" worth 75,000 and 150,000 rubles. The organizers noted that the prize winners and winners are welcomed by leading universities in the country that teach the cyber-immune approach to development. Among them are KFU, Kazan National Research Technological University, Russian Technological University "MIREA," Russian University of Transport, Ural State Mining University, as well as universities in Izhevsk, Rostov-on-Don, Perm, Petrozavodsk, Simferopol, and Cheboksary.

      More news about the event:

      School students developed protection for AI robots at the Olympiad in Kazan. The final of the National Technological Olympiad in the new profile "Constructive Security" has concluded at KFU. 22:02 17.04.2026 IA Tatar-inform - Kazan

      In Kazan, school students are developing a digital robot for cleaning garbage in rivers. The task set for the school students-finalists of the National Technological Olympiad is to create a digital robot for cleaning garbage in rivers and seas. 21:24 17.04.2026 GTRK Tatarstan - Kazan

      The final of the NTO on cyber-immune development took place for the first time at KFU. School students created a protection system for autonomous ecological robots. The final of the National Technological Olympiad (NTO) has concluded at Kazan Federal University (KFU) in the new profile "Constructive Security." 19:42 17.04.2026 KFU - Kazan

      News from neighboring regions on the topic:

      The final stage of the Engineering Olympiad for school students in Central Russia took place. From April 7 to 10, the final stage of the Engineering Olympiad for school students in Central Russia was held at Voronezh State University. 22:05 17.04.2026 VGU - Voronezh