The militarization and ideological reshaping of the Russian education system have reached a new milestone. Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council—infamous for his aggressive and often erratic rhetoric—has been appointed as the editor-in-chief of a new series of social studies textbooks for high school students in grades 9 through 11.
This development was confirmed by Russia’s Deputy Minister of Education, Olga Koludarova. According to her statement, the proposal was extended to Medvedev last year. The official proudly noted that all of the politician’s revisions and comments were seamlessly integrated not only into the final version of the textbook but also into the broader framework of Russia’s “new federal educational standards and working programs.” Consequently, the worldview of millions of Russian teenagers will now be shaped by a figure who routinely threatens the West with nuclear annihilation.
At the same time, independent Russian journalists published a comprehensive analysis of the 9th-grade social studies textbook. This particular volume was produced under the leadership of Vladimir Medinsky, an aide to Vladimir Putin who once infamously claimed that the Russian people possess an “extra chromosome.” The findings highlight a drastic shift toward state propaganda, historical revisionism, and the promotion of a pervasive personality cult.
Notably, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is mentioned 27 times throughout the book. To put this into perspective, Putin is referenced three times more often than Peter the Great and nearly five times more frequently than in previous editions authored by other scholars.
The textbook also attempts to rewrite 20th-century history. It blatantly claims that the concept of “totalitarianism” was fabricated as a tool of the “Western information war against the USSR.” The authors insist that modern Russian political science completely denies the totalitarian nature of the Soviet Union.
Cultural and social topics in the textbook are equally bizarre. To illustrate traditional family values, the authors quote the Domostroy—a strict, patriarchal 16th-century set of household rules known for its oppressive directives. Furthermore, renowned Enlightenment thinker Immanuel Kant is inexplicably rebranded as a “German and Russian philosopher.”
Unsurprisingly, the textbook serves as a recruitment tool for the ongoing war in Ukraine. It features a dedicated section outlining the state benefits and financial incentives for those who participate in the invasion. It explicitly informs students that they can sign a military contract immediately, bypassing mandatory conscription entirely. This starkly illustrates how the Kremlin is weaponizing education to prepare a new generation for its imperialistic ambitions.