Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine is impacting people all over the world. This week, the world learned how Russia’s war with Ukraine is impacting Russian school children.
According to German broadcast outlet Deutche Welle (DW), Russian students have been required to take part in mandatory patriotism classes for the last two months. The class is titled “Conversations about important things.” The Education Ministry is in charge of deciding what constitutes an “important thing.”
DW reports students were told Russia’s occupation of Ukraine was a “historical justice” because it was originally Russian territory. If students skip the class, or a teacher refuses to teach a lesson, they face massive pressure from the school and government to conform.
Changes in Russian school curriculum don’t stop at mandatory patriotism classes. Beginning Jan. 1, students in Russia will also be offered a class in basic military training.
According to TASS, the Russian state media agency, students will be put through around 35 hours of training. The announcement to offer military training is seen as a response from the Kremlin to a recent push in Russia to revive a Soviet-era practice where high school students learned first aid, navigation and basic rifle skills.
Another Russian state media agency, Izvestia, reported there was renewed interest in the policy in the wake of Russian troop performance in Ukraine. Putin’s “special military operation” has dragged on months longer than originally intended. More than 78,000 Russian soldiers have been killed in Ukraine since February, and the latest reports speak more of Russian defeats and withdrawals than victories.
In a move that may signal Russia’s intention of prolonging the war in Ukraine, lawmakers introduced a bill loosening the child labor laws in Russia. If passed, children as young as 14 would be allowed to go find a part-time job. Currently, teens wishing to join the Russian workforce have to get permission from social service agencies and employers have to pay for a medical examination.
The new bill would require teens only get their parent or legal guardian’s permission, and employers would not have to pay for a medical exam.
Massive labor shortages have been reported in Russia, where Putin recently called up 300,000 reservists into active military duty. The call up of reserve troops also spawned a massive exodus of hundreds of thousands of men fleeing Russia.
