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 is escalating,with educators and human rights activists reporting increasingly sophisticated methods of cultural assimilation. The campaign, described as “linguicide” by former Ukrainian government language protection agent Taras Kremin, aims to indoctrinate a new generation disconnected from their Ukrainian heritage and primed for future service to the Kremlin.
As the start of the occupation, Russia has systematically altered the educational landscape. While a recent bill proposing a complete ban on Ukrainian lessons was unexpectedly withdrawn – likely due to anticipated international condemnation – the language remains effectively prohibited in practice. In areas like the self-proclaimed People’s Republic of Luhansk, restrictions have been in place since 2014.
“The Ukrainian language is formally permitted, but in practice forbidden,” explains Pavel Lisianskyj, director of the Institute for Strategic Studies and Safety in Kyiv. He notes pressure from security services influences parent councils to oppose Ukrainian language instruction.
Parents seeking Ukrainian lessons for their children must submit a written request, often following interrogation by security services and consultation with parent councils. Authorities then frequently counter with offers of extra Russian lessons to prepare for mandatory exams, effectively discouraging Ukrainian language study. Refusal to comply carries significant risks, including job loss – a critical concern in occupied territories where alternative employment is scarce – or even criminal charges, such as “insulting the Russian army.”
Further complicating matters, Ukrainian textbooks have been designated as “extremist literature,” making their possession a punishable offense.
Human rights activist Olena Soelialina estimates that approximately 1.5 million children are currently subjected to this program, which she fears will create a generation fighting “in all the future wars of the Kremlin, not only against their countrymen.” She points out that the curriculum focuses on fighting “Nazis and the West,” deliberately omitting any mention of ukrainians, reflecting a core tenet of Russian propaganda that denies Ukrainian statehood.