A new school textbook in Russia presents the war in Ukraine as a continuation of the Soviet fight against Nazi Germany and claims the country was “forced” to deploy troops in 2022.
The three-volume “Military History of Russia,” aimed at students aged 15 and older, was edited by Vladimir Medinsky, an aide to President Vladimir Putin.
It outlines the Kremlin’s view of the war, highlighting acts of battlefield heroism and comparing modern military strategies to those used during World War II.
One chapter emphasizes Russia’s stance that NATO’s expansion and Western support for Ukraine since the 2014 ousting of a pro-Russian Ukrainian president created an “aggressive anti-Russian bridgehead,” making the conflict “inevitable.”
Ukraine and its allies maintain the war is an unprovoked act of aggression aimed at territorial expansion. NATO denies threatening Russia.
Military historian Ivan Basik, speaking at a press event for the textbook, said its goal is to explain the war’s necessity to younger generations.
