Ukraine struggle: Russia begins college 12 months with new lesson: ‘There’s nothing to concern in dying for the motherland’ | Worldwide

September 1 is a big day for Russian youngsters. In a single Moscow suburb, college students received all dressed up and introduced flowers to a faculty ceremony accompanied by proud dad and mom. The children chatted with academics and performed within the courtyard as they waited for issues to get underway. The ceremony started with singing and the elevating of the Russian flag, a compulsory scholastic occasion initiated this 12 months. It’s a well-recognized custom in lots of nations, however Vladimir Putin has launched one other obligatory extracurricular exercise in colleges – a category known as Vital Conversations.

The academics’ information for Vital Conversations could be very clear. A lesson for 10-year-olds poses the query, “What Russian sayings present that working for a extra affluent and delightful motherland is an expression of affection?” The popular solutions are conveniently supplied. “Don’t spare your power nor your life for the motherland”; “The motherland’s happiness is price greater than life itself”; “There’s nothing to concern in dying for the motherland”; and “To serve the motherland is to like the motherland.”

The query is a part of a lesson for grades 5-9 (ages 11-15) known as Our Nation is Russia that touches on the struggle in Ukraine. The chapter begins with, “We see expressions of real patriotism on daily basis, particularly within the particular army operation.” It then recites the official rationale for the struggle: “… agency and speedy measures had been wanted [in Ukraine]”, together with “… defending the folks within the Donbas area from harassment by the Kyiv regime, disarming Ukraine and stopping the deployment of NATO army bases there.”

The lesson ends with anecdotes concerning the battlefield exploits of a number of Russian troopers, together with an outline of an ambush the place the Russian hero “… found the Ukrainian nationalists and drove them right into a minefield the place they lastly surrendered.” It additionally praises a number of severely wounded veterans and encourages the scholars to learn the academic materials.

“Are Russians patriotic?” is among the key questions academics can have to ask the children. However politics had been conspicuously absent on this primary day of college. As a substitute of flags, the youngsters held blue and purple balloons, and nobody wore the “Z” image of assist for the invasion of Ukraine on their new college garments. The struggle was distant from the varsity courtyard that day.

A police automotive was standing guard exterior the varsity. The primary day ended early, round midday, and the youngsters excitedly advised their dad and mom all about it on the way in which residence. Lena Penzin, one of many moms, summed it up, “New college, new trainer, new mates.”

Flag-raising ceremonies in colleges had been non-compulsory till Vladimir Putin made it obligatory this 12 months. In Might, the federal government budgeted 10 billion rubles (US$166 million) to purchase flags and different state symbols for colleges. To any extent further, each college will start the week with a flag-raising ceremony.

The Vital Conversations guides for October are usually not but out there, however the matter for October 24 known as “Conventional Household Values” makes it straightforward to guess what the conversations will probably be about that day. The Russian Parliament lately determined to contemplate an modification to an present legislation relating to dissemination of “gay propaganda” to minors, which is able to broaden its scope to ban dialogue of such matters between adults and on the web.

Among the matters included within the Vital Conversations curriculum are alarming. A bit about Andrei Sakharov, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate who was persecuted by the Soviet regime for his protection of human rights, by no means mentions his activism. “This excellent nuclear scientist was the daddy of the AN-602 hydrogen bomb, which got here to be referred to as the Tsar Bomba throughout exams,” says the guide, leaving out the truth that Sakharov was just one member of a big staff of scientists.

Vital Conversations will formally start on September 5, however President Vladimir Putin inaugurated the exercise at an occasion in Kaliningrad on September 1. In his speech to the group of youths attending the occasion, Putin stated, “Ukraine was creating an anti-Russian enclave that threatens our nation… Our boys are preventing there to defend the folks of the Donbas area and Russia itself, and this deserves the assist of each Russian.”

Each Monday, college students will probably be required to attend Vital Conversations, which seems to be extra of a lecture collection than teacher-student conversations. Criticizing the invasion of Ukraine is punishable by imprisonment beneath Russian legal guidelines that prohibit “discrediting the armed forces” and “spreading false data.” Alexei Gorinov, a Moscow metropolis council member, was sentenced to seven years in jail in late July for denouncing the Russian bombings that killed Ukrainian youngsters.

Training Minister Sergey Kravtsov lately introduced that each college principal will probably be assigned an “advisor” from his division. As well as, Kravtsov will head the federal government’s new patriotic youth motion in colleges, which he guarantees will probably be voluntary. This new group will probably be known as Bolshaya Peremena (Nice Pause, in Russian) and can emulate Lenin’s Pioneers to “promote state insurance policies” amongst youngsters and youths.

The beginning of the brand new college 12 months coincided with an abrupt finish to Moscow’s exceptionally sizzling summer time, and a few dad and mom weren’t completely happy about it. “I’ve nothing to say, besides that it’s very chilly. I hate college,” Nina advised us. Storm clouds lined the Moscow sky as she accompanied her son to high school. “Fourth grade…which means we’re virtually a 3rd of the way in which there. Endurance…” she advised herself as a storm brewed on the horizon.