“Propaganda lessons for all”: The Russian curriculum is exposed | Russia-Ukraine War News

In Paul Talankin's movie, Mr Nobody against Putin, a scene depicts Russian teachers who struggle to explain the reasons for the full-scale invasion of Moscow in Ukraine of their disciples at the beginning of the war.

It cannot be said “Denasification”, a word that the Kremlin often uses to justify its pressure. However, later, a history teacher does not show hesitation.

“The economic component of the hybrid war, these are sanctions on our country,” he says in a class of 12 and 13 years old. “You already know that Europe, not Russia, suffers most of these sanctions now … There are no local agricultural products: no wheat, oils, etc. Well, in France, they are used to eating oysters and frogs. They will continue for some time. But what about others like England? “

As the war broke out three years ago, classrooms, lecture halls and even kindergartens in Russia reflect the new normal in a militarized curriculum that critics blamed for indoctrination of children in military ideology.

Talankin's documentary aims to state how the “special military operation”, as the invasion is officially called, has spilled into the nation's schools.

“The wars are not won by commanders, but by teachers,” says Russian President Vladimir Putin in archival footage in the film.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcueda8fk_8

Since 2018, Talankin has worked at the Primary School in Karabash # 1, in a small industrial city of the same name in the Ural Mountains. He planned events such as concerts and school discos, and was also a designated video of the school.

Shortly after the war began, he was instructed by the Ministry of Education to shoot how the new patriotic program was being implemented in his school.

But he told Al Jazeera that since he felt “broken” by the news of the invasion and found him “incomprehensible” that he would be forced to participate in a provocative program, he secretly shared the footage with American film director David Borenstein.

He described himself as a feeling as a “propagandist of these children.”

“At the beginning of the war, various special events were held to support soldiers and the military,” Talankin said.

“The children had to sing songs, read verses, cut some pigeons and stick them on the windows. My job was to shoot it and post it with hashtags … so the public would give the impression that everyone supported it massively. “

The Russian education system has been processed since 2022.

History lessons have been restored around the Kremlin's current geopolitical prospects. A number of schools are now hosting minimums and war exhibitions. A school in the village Bashtostan stood portraits of local soldiers who died on the front lines, as well as everyday battles, such as wet wipes.

The weekly hours were introduced in 2022 under the flag “important conversations”. They emphasize the importance of debt to the country and the topics of sacrifice and military history, such as the Soviet heroic during World War II. They were even taught in kindergartens. Each lesson is preceded by the raising of the flag and the performance of the Russian national anthem.

“In the beginning it was every Monday and then Thursday,” Talankin said. “The classes were fully planned, from beginning to end: What should the teacher say and when? What questions should be asked for children? What presentations should be used? Everything is well thought out and I was a little offended (and I felt) I'm sorry for the teachers because we have no adequate equipment at school. There are no textbooks, no teachers guidance. In the same way, they could explain physics, they could do (any other object) that way, but this is not the case. But they have all this power for propaganda. “

In his movie, a teacher is seen to tell a group of bored children: “If you live in our country and do not love it, then you are a parasite. Leave. “

In addition, extracurricular activities such as training and parades led by veterans who have served in Ukraine, grenade throwing competitions to inspire discipline with students, are aimed at decaying the patriotic flame.

Since 2023, military training, including firearms, has been re -introduced into schools, practice from the Soviet era.

A representative of the Ministry of Education told Al Jazeera in an email that Moscow is “implementing a number of educational projects aimed at shaping the worldview of Russian citizens.”

“The most optimal conditions for the accumulation of impressions, formation of ideas and raising the feelings of children are created in elementary school age,” they said. “It is at this age, when a person begins to form as an individual, it is important to explain to him what the Russian civic identity is. Patriotism is one of the most important spiritual and moral values ​​that is rooted in the history of people and the state. “

They added that it was “important to inspire the younger generation of children, a sense of love for the homeland, a sense of duty to the Fatherland and respect for the history and traditions of their home country.”

In another scene of the Talankin film, students are sitting through a presentation of the Mercenary Outfit Wagner Group, fully equipped with camouflage and berets and passing around mines. In another, a group of disappointed teachers complain that there is hardly time for regular hours.

“The purpose of the militarization of both the curriculum and the extracurricular life of Russian children is explicitly aimed at raising a large number of indoctrinated young Russians ready to serve in the military and support the aggressive military expansionism of the state,” Ian Garner, historian of Russia and the author From the book Z Generation: At the heart of the fascist youth of Russia, Al Jazee told Al Jazee.

“These policies are adopted with one eye for the long -term: not the war against Ukraine, but the next war for five, 10 or 15 years. Russian sociocultural fabric has been completely changed and militarized. Child education is a vital component of this. “

In the film, the history teacher professes the charm of Lavrentiy Beria, the notorious Chief of Secret Police of Joseph Stalin and the Gulag architect, among other Soviet officials.

“History lessons in Russia are now teaching national and quasi -religious myths about the country's mesian fate, last imperial fame and exceptional military history,” Garner continued.

“The most noteworthy of this is the rehabilitation of Joseph Stalin, who is portrayed as a wise leader who transforms the country's economy, united the Soviet peoples and saved the world during World War II. The terror and cleaning of the 1930s, let alone crimes such as holding, “he said, citing the mass hunger in Soviet Ukraine from 1932 to 1933.

Garner believes that although many students are likely to be numb by the material, along with the barrier of conductive messages through Russian society and social media, the system is at least partly successful in raising a generation of militaristic young nationalists.

“It all depends on their age,” Talankin said. “Young children are very receptive to the words of the teacher: they trust them a lot.”

According to him, some teachers are still trying to undermine or play important talks.

“There are teachers who resist a little,” he said.

“For example, they will say today that we are talking about something important … and we are talking about important mathematics, for example. But this is rare. I'm really sorry for the teachers. They are like hostages in captivity, forced to say all kinds of things. “

The resistance to the Kremlin's orders in education comes with a personal and professional risk.

Teachers expressing views contrary to the official position found themselves poisoned by parents, prolonged campaigns and even their students. In some cases, their colleagues have turned against them, which has led to being fined or pursued to “discredit” the Russian armed forces.

In the Crimea, activists have directed teachers to show a Ukrainian flag on social media, tracking them and forcing them to shoot a video for an apology, which is then distributed on social media. Sometimes harassment continues even after that until the teacher loses his job.

According to an independent human rights monitor, however, Ovd-Info, which traces the politically motivated persecution in Russia, by 2024. The number of teachers who have been punished has decreased sharply, perhaps showing the climate of self-census or fear.

Talankin, who left his job and escaped from Russia in 2024, said some of his students had joined the army.

His film, which plays at international film festivals, roused disputes in his hometown.

“The reactions are varied,” he reflects grimly. “From the fact that you call me scum and ab ***** D and a traitor to Russia to” well done, you finally showed that marsh. ” I would like to watch it, both in Russia and in the world. It has a lot of love: for the country, to the Motherland. But not for Russia of Putin. Because it clearly shows how Putin destroys everything alive. “