In the temporarily occupied territory of Kherson region, Russian invaders are using schools to spread their propaganda. According to the National Resistance Center, at the seized Palace of Creativity, students were taught to paint portraits of a soldier of the Russian army, being forced to capture his image on paper.
The occupant personally visited the lesson and told children about their participation in the war against their country, encouraging them to create his portraits. This approach of the Russian authorities confirms the deliberate use of the education system for propaganda and ideological control.
Lessons of courage and the idea of the legitimacy of Russian aggression are already noticeable among children in schools of the occupied territories. The National Resistance Center notes that the individuals spreading this propaganda are already known and will be held accountable.
Decrease in the number of students in the first grades in annexed Crimea
According to the National Resistance Center, there has been a significant decrease in the number of children enrolling in the first grades in annexed Crimea. In the city of Sevastopol, only 4211 students registered for schools, which is lower compared to previous years. Over the past three years, the number of first-graders has decreased by almost a third, which may indicate the influence of Russian propaganda and restrictions on the educational process.
Ukrainian media reported attempts by Russian occupiers to influence students in schools of the occupied territories, imposing ideological concepts and encouraging them to glorify the military actions of the Russian Federation. Such actions demonstrate how the Russian authorities use educational institutions to spread their propaganda among the youngest generation in the occupied regions. The situation with the number of students in the first grades in annexed Crimea also raises outrage and suspicion about the impact of Russian occupation on the educational process and the future of children in this region.