Ukrainian children targeted by Russian educational campaigns

Russian youth organisations are encouraging Ukrainian children to turn against their country.

Campaign targets Ukrainian children to foster love for Russia

In occupied regions of eastern Ukraine, children are being taught to embrace Russian identity from a young age. At a nursery school in Luhansk, over 70 children proudly hold a Russian military banner, while others dance to a song celebrating their Russian heritage. This is part of a larger campaign aimed at transforming the national identity of young Ukrainians into loyalty towards Russia. With many Ukrainian teachers having fled, Moscow is incentivizing Russian educators with substantial financial offers to work in these areas. Organizations like Yunarmia, affiliated with the Russian defense ministry, are now operating in these regions, aiming to instill military values in children as young as eight.

This concerted effort to re-educate children in occupied Ukraine carries severe implications for the future of Ukrainian identity. By replacing native teachers with Russian educators and engaging children in pro-Russian activities, the Russian government seeks to create a generation that identifies more with Russia than Ukraine. Such strategies highlight an alarming trend of cultural erasure, where a nation’s identity is bombarded from an early age, raising concerns about the long-term impact on Ukraine’s sovereignty and unity.

Highlights

The repercussions of this campaign may shape the identity of future generations.