Russia Pilots Patriotic Lessons for Preschoolers in 22 Regions, Occupied Ukraine

Starting this autumn, Russia will expand its state-backed "Conversations About Important Things" program to include preschool children aged 3 to 7 in at least 100 kindergartens across 19 Russian regions and the partially occupied Ukrainian territories of Donetsk, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia. The program, originally launched in schools in 2022 following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, aims to instill patriotic values, respect for Russian culture, and traditional family and moral values through interactive and age-appropriate lessons. Russian Education Minister Sergey Kravtsov emphasized that the lessons would help children develop a strong foundation of personality and core values, while critics denounce the initiative as political indoctrination, citing examples of children being dressed in military uniforms and given toy weapons during pilot lessons. These expansions follow President Vladimir Putin's 2024 directive to introduce patriotism and "core values" education from an earlier age. The program's implementation in occupied Ukrainian regions reflects the Kremlin's broader strategy to integrate these territories culturally and politically into Russia. Meanwhile, separate efforts are underway in occupied Luhansk to establish a school for Chinese children, signaling increased Chinese involvement in the region under Russian oversight, although these initiatives primarily focus on economic collaboration rather than education propaganda.