Amnesty International has released a report detailing a systematic overhaul of the Russian educational system, characterizing the current state curriculum as a mechanism to enforce ideological conformity and suppress dissent among students. The briefing, titled “Only Official Sources,” alleges that the Russian Ministry of Education has effectively converted classrooms into tools for state propaganda, particularly regarding the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
According to the report, the Russian government has mandated a uniform set of history textbooks and instructional materials since 2023. These resources frame the Russian state as a nation under constant external threat and characterize military interventions, including the current conflict in Ukraine, as historical necessities. The curriculum explicitly denies or minimizes the legitimacy of Ukrainian statehood, presenting the war as a matter of national survival.
Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, stated that the Kremlin’s efforts represent a fundamental departure from educational standards that prioritize critical thinking. “Russian schools are being converted from temples of knowledge into factories of compliance,” Struthers said. She added that the state dictates precisely what children must understand about Russia’s place in the world, creating a narrative that labels any alternative perspective as inherently hostile.
The report also documents the implementation of a policy framework known as “profilaktika,” which involves the surveillance of students and staff. Schools are encouraged to monitor the online activities and personal associations of their student bodies to identify potential susceptibility to “destructive ideologies.” The criteria for such profiling are broad, encompassing participation in organizations that have been outlawed by Russian authorities, such as the Anti-Corruption Foundation or the youth movement Vesna. Even discussions regarding the economic impact of the war on domestic living standards can lead to a student being flagged as an administrative concern.
These measures, Amnesty International argues, violate the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which mandates that education should foster respect for human rights and prepare children for participation in a free society. The organization asserts that the current Russian approach forces educators to act as agents of state surveillance, creating an environment of distrust that undermines the personal privacy and freedom of expression of minors.
Amnesty International is calling on the Russian government to repeal regulations that penalize peaceful expression and to cease the collection of data on the political views of students. The organization has also urged the international community to provide support to independent civil society groups that are working to counter state-sponsored propaganda and to assist individuals facing persecution due to their dissent within the education system.
As of this report, the Russian Ministry of Education has not issued a formal response to the allegations presented by Amnesty International, and the state-mandated curriculum remains in effect across the Russian Federation and in territories under Russian occupation.
