War

British intelligence tells how education is increasingly being militarized in Russia

The Russian education system is becoming increasingly politicized, militarized, and ideologized in line with the broader goals of the Russian state, continuing a trend that has intensified since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

This was reported on social network X by the British Ministry of Defense, citing intelligence data, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.

The Russian publication Vershka reports on the growing prevalence of texts in support of the “special military operation,” which is the Russian term for the invasion of Ukraine, anti-Western works, Soviet literature, and patriotic/pro-Russian military texts in schools.

“Vershka also cites examples of Russian authorities ordering the removal of references to Ukraine from textbooks.

“The Russian state most likely seeks to use the education system to develop a more militarized, nationalistic society. The Youth Strategy 2024 states that it is important to “raise the prestige of military service and provide support to young military personnel and their families.” This is almost certainly intended to promote both greater support for Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine and greater willingness among young people to join the army, which is suffering significant losses,” the report says.

According to British intelligence, these efforts are also aimed at instilling in Russian youth a denial of the legitimate and internationally recognized basis for Ukraine’s statehood and sovereignty.

“It is likely that the politicization and militarization of Russian education, coupled with the growing ideological indoctrination of Russian children and youth in general, will lead to the preservation of aggressive, expansionist Russian nationalism in the long term,” the British intelligence service said.