Overview

• 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.