Enlightenment, a leading Russian education publisher, has released the inaugural textbook titled “The Russian Army in Defence of the Fatherland,” authored by prominent figures from the defense ministry and Rossiiskaya Gazeta, a Kremlin newspaper.
The 368-page book glorifies Russian soldiers’ accomplishments spanning from the 13th Century to modern times.
In an online session for educators watched by the BBC in January, publishing representative Olga Plechova stressed the necessity of presenting information exclusively from a Russian perspective to students.
She asserted that alternative viewpoints should not be provided, stating that the textbook aims to assist teachers in addressing children’s inquiries accurately.
The authors of the textbook extol Soviet leader Joseph Stalin and commend Soviet triumphs in World War Two, referred to by Russians as the Great Patriotic War.
They also applaud the Russian military’s role in annexing Crimea in 2014, terming it the “reunification” of Crimea with Russia.
A section of the textbook attempts to justify Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, labeling it a “special military operation.”
It falsely claims that after a coup in Kyiv in 2014, the new government initiated a crackdown on Russian culture, alleging book burnings, monument destruction, and bans on the Russian language.
The book erroneously asserts that Ukraine and NATO planned to initiate the war, falsely suggesting a concentration of Ukrainian troops and armored vehicles at the borders.
In reality, Russia amassed over 100,000 troops along its border with Ukraine and in Belarus before launching its full-scale invasion on 24 February 2022.
The textbook falsely claims that Mariupol, a Ukrainian port city heavily bombed by Russia for almost three months, was destroyed during battles with “Nazis” and “foreign mercenaries.”
It asserts Russia’s integrity and portrays it as prioritizing the safety of Ukrainian civilians while minimizing destruction, contrary to evidence indicating significant damage to Ukrainian infrastructure by Russian attacks.
The book also includes a section promoting enlistment in the Russian Armed Forces, highlighting benefits such as free medical care, insurance, attractive salaries, and three meals a day.
Olha Skrypnyk, head of a Crimean human rights group, warns that economic incentives may entice young men from occupied Ukrainian territories to join the military, potentially leading to more casualties.
Although Russia does not disclose its casualties in the war in Ukraine, open-source information confirmed by the BBC’s Russian service suggests that at least 1,240 soldiers under the age of 20 were killed in two years of conflict.
Source-BBC
