UK Defense Ministry: Russia increases propaganda activities in occupied Ukrainian territories
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Russia seeks to create a pro-Kremlin information space in occupied parts of Ukraine "to erode Ukrainian national identity," the U.K. Defense Ministry wrote on Aug. 18.
In its latest intelligence update, the ministry pointed out Russia's recent actions aimed at fulfilling this goal.
On Aug. 15, Russian Deputy Presidential Chief of Staff Sergey Kiriyenko came to occupied Donetsk in eastern Ukraine to visit local schools and "check their integration into the Russian education system."
Meanwhile, in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Moscow-installed illegal occupation administration was briefed to introduce new standards for the accreditation of educational institutions, reads the report.
The Kremlin is also preparing to issue a new textbook on Russian history to schools in occupied Ukrainian regions and across Russia from Sept. 1, according to British intelligence.
The book reportedly praises Russia's all-out war against Ukraine, which Moscow calls "the special military operation," and describes Ukraine "as an ultra-terrorist state."
As another method for spreading pro-Kremlin propaganda, media outlets in Russian-occupied territories are employing journalists from Russia, the U.K. Defense Ministry added.
On Aug. 17, the National Resistance Center said that Russia had deported another 450 children from areas of Ukraine under Russian occupation. The majority of them were reportedly sent to summer camps in the Krasnodar region.
Ukrainian children are taught to believe Russian propaganda in these camps and attend activities like Russian patriotic concerts. In the end, Ukrainian children are often not returned home.
According to the government's portal Children of War, Russia has illegally deported more than 19,546 children since the start of the full-scale invasion. Only 386 of them have been returned to Ukraine.
