Moscow: A record-breaking letter praising the army was written: Before students returned to the classroom for a second school year with troops fighting in Ukraine and strained relations with the West, Moscow unveiled new history textbooks on Monday.
Under President Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin has tightened its grip on the historical narrative taught in schools; this trend has greatly accelerated since Moscow began its offensive in Ukraine last year.
The conflict is now more frequently portrayed to younger Russians as a component of Moscow's historical mission.
Education Minister Sergei Kravtsov unveiled the new book at a press conference in Moscow, saying it was written in just a few months with the intention of "conveying the aims (of the Ukraine offensive) to school children." The book is intended for students in the 11th grade, who are 17 years old.
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Reiterating Putin's stated objectives when he sent troops to Ukraine last February, he said, "the tasks of demilitarisation and de-nazification, so that schoolchildren are convinced that this is really the case.
The book's cover depicts the bridge connecting annexed Crimea to Russia's mainland, a symbol of Putin's rule that has been attacked numerous times throughout the conflict.
It spans from 1945 to the present, and according to Kravtsov, it will be "in all schools on September 1."
In "just under five months," according to Kravtsov, the book was written. We will further supplement this book after the special military operation (in Ukraine) is over and we have won, he continued.
Vladimir Medinsky, a presidential aide who is well known for his conservative interpretation of history and has come under fire from some historians, praised the quick production.
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In such a short period of time, no textbook had ever been produced in our nation, he claimed.
"The writing was essentially done by the authors themselves."
He claimed that the textbook presents "the state's point of view."
The book contains chapters about Russian soldiers "saving peace" in 2014 when Moscow annexed the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine.
Additionally, it criticises Western sanctions, comparing them to Napoleon's invasion of Russia in 1812 and saying they are worse.
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During its offensive in Ukraine, Russia has unleashed a crackdown on dissent that is unprecedented and has reached into schools.
A Russian girl was taken from her father in April after she painted a picture at school endorsing Ukraine.
In order to instill patriotism in children, a new subject called "Talks on what is important" was introduced in Russian schools after the start of the Ukraine operation.