In case of parental disagreement, the Russian administration threatens to remove children from their families and send them to boarding schools.
In the Ukrainian Pologiv district of the city Zaporizhia, newly installed Russian authorities force Ukrainian citizens to send their children to schools and kindergartens that follow a Russian curriculum as opposed to a Ukrainian one.
As part of the new, forced curriculum, they are taught by teachers sent from the Russian Federation and in the Russian language.
This is the latest in a line of attempts by Russia to incorporate Ukrainian regions into its larger federation by forcing Russian values on its locals, in an attempt to make it appear as if they willingly wish to join the Russian Federation.
In case of parental disagreement, the Russian administration threatens to remove children from their families and send them to boarding schools.
The parents themselves are threatened with administrative punishment, men will be sent to the “army of the DPR” and women will be sent to do communal work, cleaning the city.
Prior attempts
In line with Russian attempts to bring Ukrainian regions into the fold, the occupied Ukrainian port city Kherson was characterized as a “full-fledged Russian city” by the deputy head of the military-civilian administration of the Kherson region Kirill Stremousov last month, according to Russian state media outlet RIA.
Stremousov’s statements came after the celebration of Russia Day on Sunday, which he told RIA occurred in Kherson without any issues, and proved the city’s disposition toward Russia.
According to the US State Department, prior to the war only about 20% of Kherson residents viewed Russia positively, and the invading power has likely lost legitimacy and local support since the war began.
“Many people are grateful for what we have done, that the city has not been destroyed, that we have preserved it. Now we will only create,” Stremousov told RIA.
Michael Starr contributed to this report.