Moscow-imposed schools in occupied Ukraine emphasize militarism and Russification

Education officials and parents say the education system Moscow has imposed across occupied areas of Ukraine emphasizes militarism and pro‑Russian, anti‑Ukrainian messaging aimed at erasing Ukrainian cultural and linguistic identity, according to education experts, rights groups and children interviewed by The New York Times.

Former students and parents described Russian‑language schools where pupils are required to stand for the Russian national anthem, watch films portraying Russia as Ukraine’s savior, join patriotic lessons and clubs, and take courses on Russian military history. In one case, masked Russian soldiers entered an apartment, confiscated a girl’s devices, arrested her stepfather and forced her to end a boycott of a Russian school, the student said.

Teachers, students and rights groups said assignments have included taking selfies with President Vladimir V. Putin’s televised news conferences and attending “Important Conversations” and “Lessons of Courage” that promote Kremlin narratives. Parents and rights groups said authorities have threatened to strip parental rights for keeping children out of school or enrolling them in Ukrainian programs, and reported that children without Russian passports were taken to offices to be issued documents.

A study by Yale’s Humanitarian Research Lab documented at least 210 sites in Russia and occupied areas with programs teaching Russian nationalist curricula or military training. Danielle Bell, head of the U.N.

Key Topics

World, Russia, Ukraine, Russification, Young Army, Humanitarian Research Lab