Moscow has unveiled new history textbooks that include sections on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine apparently written in a few months, ahead of children returning to school.
The Kremlin has tightened its control over the historical narrative in schools under Vladimir Putin – a trend that has hugely accelerated since the president launched the full-scale war on Ukraine in 2022.
The conflict has increasingly been presented to young Russians as part of Moscow’s historical mission.
Presenting the new book aimed for the 11th grade – 17-year-olds – at a press conference in Moscow, education minister Sergei Kravtsov said the material was aimed at “conveying the aims [of the Ukraine offensive] to schoolchildren”.
“The tasks of demilitarisation and denazification, so that schoolchildren are convinced that this is really the case,” he said, repeating Putin’s stated aims when he sent troops to Ukraine last February.
The book covers a period from 1945 to the 21st century and Kravtsov said it will be “in all schools on September 1”.
The book was written in “just under five months”, Kravtsov said.
“After the end of the special military operation [in Ukraine], after our victory, we will further supplement this book.”
Presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, who is known for his conservative view of history and has been criticised by some historians, praised the speedy production.
“No textbook has ever been created in our country in such a short time,” he said. “The authors wrote it practically with their own hand.” He added that the textbook presents “the state’s point of view”.
The book features sections on Russian soldiers “saving peace” in 2014 when Moscow annexed the Crimea peninsula from Ukraine. It also denounces western sanctions, describing them as worse than Napoleon, who marched on Russia in 1812.
Russia has unleashed an unprecedented crackdown on dissent during its Ukraine offensive, which has extended into schools.
In April, a Russian girl was taken away from her father after she drew a picture in support of Ukraine at school.
After the start of the Ukraine operation, a new subject – “Talks on what is important” – was introduced in Russian schools, meant to instil patriotism in children.
With Agence France-Presse
