Earlier this year, authorities in Novosibirsk, a Siberian city of approximately 1.6 million residents, distributed a new textbook focused on patriotism to several local schools. The material, which has drawn comments from students who spoke to Deutsche Welle on condition of anonymity, explicitly encourages young people to prepare for death in service to their nation. The book also contains controversial assertions linking homosexuality to pedophilia, comparing Disney cartoons to pornography, and providing guidance to female students on leveraging their “charm.” Furthermore, it characterizes Europeans as “thieves, murderers and liars.”
Although the textbook is not part of the national core curriculum, it is utilized within “patriotism lessons” that were integrated into Russian schools in 2022. The content aligns with the Kremlin’s broader strategy to embed propaganda within the educational system, offering “materials for spiritual, moral, and patriotic upbringing.”
One of the central themes of the book is the war in Ukraine, with recurring messages suggesting that dying for one’s country is a divine blessing. One author writes, “Love always involves sacrifice,” adding that “the sacrifice of a defender of the homeland is their life.” The text consistently asserts Russian superiority over Western nations, claiming that children are “mentally crippled” by exposure to computer games, Hollywood action films, pornography, and Disney productions.
The authors argue that former European colonial empires justified “murder, lies and plunder” through conquest, whereas Russia supposedly never exploited its many peoples but instead enhanced their living conditions. The textbook notably omits any reference to Indigenous cultures within modern Russia or religions other than Christianity and “Slavic paganism.”
Ilya, a 16-year-old student in Novosibirsk who requested his name be changed, described the notion of dying for his country as abhorrent. “It’s proof that the country wants more cannon fodder,” he told DW, arguing that such rhetoric actually serves the interests and ambitions of President Vladimir Putin rather than the nation itself.
Ilya stated that his opposition to the government began a few years ago after watching videos of Alexei Navalny, the Kremlin critic who died in a penal colony in 2024. It was Navalny’s 2021 investigation into Putin’s Black Sea residence that first captured his attention. However, Ilya said his stance hardened after authorities blocked access to American platforms YouTube and Discord. Out of defiance, he set up a virtual private network (VPN) to seek information on opposition figures and consume independent media, leading him to criticize the government more strongly as he learned about the war’s brutality.
According to Ilya, propaganda has become a staple of the curriculum over the past four years. In addition to Monday morning sessions on “Conversations about Important Things,” schools have introduced subjects like “Fundamentals of Homeland Security and Defense.” He noted that veterans of the conflict in Ukraine are invited to speak to students about career paths and the future.
Political pressure extends beyond the classroom. Ilya recalled an incident where a principal reprimanded a student for wearing a sweater with English text, questioning whether he realized the words belonged to the language of “unfriendly countries” and threatening to contact the Federal Security Service.
During a school assembly marking May 9, which commemorates the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in 1945, leadership drew parallels between the “Great Patriotic War” and the current conflict in Ukraine, asserting that Russia would remain steadfast and victorious once again.
Another 16-year-old student, identified as Alexei, reported that many classmates skip patriotic events. Like Ilya, he said the blocking of YouTube sparked his political interest. “I looked into why it was blocked,” he explained. “Because nothing happens by chance. And that’s how my interest in politics began.” He concluded that the authorities were attempting to suppress free speech and eliminate inconvenient citizens. “I love freedom, so it was hard,” he said.
Ilya observes that most peers do not take the propaganda seriously. “On the one hand, we laugh about it in class, at least my friends do,” he said. “On the other, we don’t care. Some simply don’t listen. We’re very good at being quiet and not talking much about it.”
Dima Zicer, an educator and author of the podcast “Love, Don’t Discipline” who relocated to Estonia following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, suggested that some students embrace a pro-Putin majority mindset. He described a mentality characterized by the belief: “We’ll crush them all; we’re stronger than everyone else. Everyone will be scared of us.” Zicer noted that while there is no statistical data to support this, his experience working with Russian children and communicating with parents indicated that families often only realized the severity of the situation when their children began repeating slogans about crushing opponents or praising Putin, and discussing alleged Nazis in Ukraine.
Both Ilya and Alexei, who hope the war ends, expressed concern about Russia’s instability. They plan to leave the country after completing their studies.
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