Russia Introduces School Textbook Claiming It Was 'Forced' to Invade Ukraine

The new textbook for students aged 15 and older frames the invasion as a necessary response to Western and NATO actions, echoing Kremlin narratives.

A new Russian school textbook, part of the 'Military History of Russia' series, claims Moscow was 'forced' to invade Ukraine in 2022.
The book likens the conflict to the Soviet Union's fight against Nazi Germany during World War II and accuses NATO of turning Ukraine into an 'anti-Russian bridgehead.'
Edited by Vladimir Medinsky, a Putin aide and former peace negotiator, the textbook is designed to align with Kremlin narratives on the war.
Critics, including Ukrainian officials, have condemned the book as propaganda aimed at indoctrinating Russian youth with a distorted version of events.
The textbook highlights alleged battlefield heroism of Russian troops and incorporates techniques from Soviet military history to justify the ongoing conflict.