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