Russia unveils new schoolbook aimed at justifying war on Ukraine
Officials in Moscow have released a new textbook in an effort to defend the war in Ukraine and accuse the West of attempting to destroy Russia.
The idea that human civilization might have ended if Vladimir Putin had not launched his “special military operation” against Ukraine will now be taught in schools, according to excerpts from Russian media.
Vladimir Medinsky, a presidential adviser and formerly the minister of culture for Russia, co-wrote the textbook titled “Russian History, 1945-early 21st century”.
This is the first history textbook that has been formally approved for use in Russian classrooms, and it mentions recent events like the full-scale invasion of Ukraine that began in February 2022.
It will be covered beginning in September in the secondary education in Russia – the 11th year , which is attended by students between the ages of 17 and 18.
According to the textbook, Western powers spread “undisguised Russophobia” in order to achieve their goal of destabilizing the situation in Russia.
Then, it continues, they began “dragging” Russia into different wars. The school text claims that the West’s ultimate goal is to conquer Russia and seize control of its mineral resources.
It recycles a number of propaganda clichés from the Kremlin, portraying Ukraine as a militarily aggressive state led by nationalist extremists and manipulated by the West, which allegedly uses the nation as a “battering ram” against Russia.
The blue-and-yellow flag of Ukraine was allegedly created by Austrians eager to persuade Ukrainians that they are distinct from Russians, according to the book, which claims that Ukraine is little more than a Western invention created to spite Russia.
In the textbook, Western sanctions against Russia following its invasion of Ukraine are criticized and characterized as an effort to “destroy Russia’s economy.”
Furthermore, it falsely claims that these sanctions “violate all the norms of international law which the West is so fond of quoting”.
Simultaneously, the “fantastic opportunity” for Russian businesspeople is touted as the exodus of Western companies from Russia following the full-scale invasion.
Source-BBC