russia’s Systematic Russification of Ukrainian Children Intensifies in Occupied Territories
KYIV,Ukraine – A concerted effort to erase Ukrainian identity among children in Russian-occupied territories โขis escalating,with educators and human rights activists โขreporting increasingly sophisticatedโ methods of cultural assimilation. Theโ campaign, describedโ as “linguicide” by former โขUkrainian government language protectionโ agent Taras Kremin, aims to indoctrinate a new generation disconnected from their Ukrainian heritage and primed for future service โขto the Kremlin.
As theโค start of theโ occupation, Russia has systematically altered the educational landscape. โขWhile aโฃ recent billโ proposing a completeโฃ ban on Ukrainianโฃ lessons wasโ unexpectedly withdrawn – likely due to anticipated international condemnation – the language remains effectively โขprohibited inโข practice. In areas likeโ the self-proclaimed People’s Republic ofโ Luhansk, restrictions have beenโข in place since 2014.
“The Ukrainian language isโฃ formally permitted, but in โคpractice forbidden,” explains Pavel Lisianskyj, director of the โคInstitute for Strategic Studies โคand Safety in Kyiv.โฃ He notes pressureโ from โฃsecurity services influences parent councils to oppose Ukrainian language instruction.
Parents โฃseeking Ukrainianโ lessons for their children must submit a written request, often following interrogation by security services and โฃconsultation with parent councils. Authorities then frequently counter withโ offersโ of extra โฃRussian lessons to prepare for mandatory exams, effectively discouragingโค Ukrainian language study.โข Refusal toโค comply carries significant risks, including jobโข loss – aโค critical concern in occupied territories where โalternative employment โis scarce – or even โcriminal charges, such โคas “insulting the Russian army.”
Further complicatingโฃ matters,โฃ Ukrainian textbooks have been designated as “extremist literature,” making their possession a punishable offense.โ
Human rights activist โOlena Soelialina estimates โthat approximately 1.5 million children are currentlyโ subjected to this โprogram, which she fears will create a generation fighting “in all the future wars ofโข the Kremlin,โข not โคonly againstโฃ their countrymen.” She points out that theโ curriculum focuses on fighting “Nazis โand the West,” deliberately omitting any mention of ukrainians,โ reflecting a core tenet of Russian propaganda that denies โคUkrainian statehood.