When her seven-year-old daughter was told to learn a poem about Russia's glorious army for a school event, Nina from Moscow thought it was too much. She has struggled to shield her daughter from an ever-increasing number of patriotic activities and lessons.
The ramping up of war propaganda directed at Russian children has been brought to life before a global audience in an Oscar-winning documentary, Mr Nobody Against Putin. The BBC documentary was based on footage by a primary school events co-ordinator and videographer called Pavel Talankin in the small provincial town of Karabash in the Ural mountains.
What troubles Nina most is that her daughter enjoys taking part in the state-backed patriotic programme. She likes her teacher, she likes her classmates - she likes being a part of it, says Nina. However, she worries that openly opposing school activities could isolate her daughter socially. When she once kept her home to avoid a patriotic school event, her daughter was upset: I don't want her to feel like she doesn't belong.
Talankin's film documents his reluctant involvement in Russia's propaganda machine as the invasion of Ukraine unfolded in 2022, featuring government mandates for flag-raising ceremonies and compulsory lessons to indoctrinate students about Russian values and current events framed by the state narrative.
The patriotic messaging reinforces the idea that the invasion is a defensive war, while at home, some families express differing views. In a world of conflicting information, experts advise parents to instill universal values in their children, advocating for peaceful conflict resolution rather than confronting school narratives directly.
Children, especially the younger ones, often accept messages from authority figures uncritically, making them particularly susceptible to state propaganda. Research indicates that the influence of environmental factors, including parental opposition to state narratives, can significantly shape children's beliefs over time.
As the Russian government continues to adjust educational material and promote military enlistment among school leavers, the questions arise: will these efforts result in lasting attitudes among the youth? Time will tell, but for now, the tug-of-war between school indoctrination and varying familial beliefs remains a palpable reality for many Russian families.
