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Russia introduces history textbook that redefines war against Ukraine as justified defense

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Russia introduces history textbook that redefines war against Ukraine as justified defense
Russian President Vladimir Putin is seen on a screen set at Red Square as he addresses a rally and a concert marking Russia's illegal claimed annexation of four regions of Ukraine Russian troops partially occupy - Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia, in central Moscow on Sept. 30, 2022. (Photo by Alexander Nemenov/AFP via Getty Images)

Military History of Russia, a new textbook introduced in Moscow on Jan. 27, frames the war in Ukraine as a continuation of the Soviet battle against Nazi Germany, portraying the invasion as a necessary reaction to Western threats, Reuters reported.

The three-volume textbook, targeted at schoolchildren, claims Russia was "forced" to invade Ukraine in 2022, citing long-standing grievances such as NATO's eastward expansion and the 2014 ousting of Ukraine's pro-Russian president, which the textbook characterizes as a Western-backed coup.

Edited by Vladimir Medinsky, a presidential advisor and architect of Kremlin propaganda, the textbook aligns with the Russian government's narrative about the war.

The book describes Ukraine as an "aggressive anti-Russian bridgehead" and emphasizes battlefield heroism while drawing parallels between modern Russian military tactics and those employed by the Soviet army during World War II.

This publication is part of a broader Kremlin effort to reshape public perception through education. In 2023, Russia's Education Ministry updated school history textbooks to include sections on the war in Ukraine — referred to as a "special military operation" — the annexation of Crimea and the impact of Western sanctions.

Russia's Education Ministry initiative, Conversations about Important Things, launched in 2022, promotes themes like patriotism, traditional family values, and Russian nuclear security to students as young as six. The program includes video lessons featuring figures such as Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Patriarch Kirill.

The Kremlin's intensified focus on historical revisionism and ideological education reflects its attempt to solidify domestic support for the war, casting Russia as a defender of sovereignty against a hostile and "decadent" West.

Critics argue these measures are an apparent effort to indoctrinate young Russians and justify the ongoing war to future generations.

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Tim Zadorozhnyy

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Tim Zadorozhnyy is a news editor at The Kyiv Independent. Based in Warsaw, he is pursuing studies in International Relations, focusing on European Studies. Tim began his career at a local television channel in Odesa. After moving to Warsaw, he joined the Belarusian opposition media outlet NEXTA, starting as a news anchor and later advancing to the position of managing editor.

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