Russian history textbooks as a tool for deconstructing ukrainian identity

Abstract

The article analyzes the latest history textbooks that appeared in the Russian Federation at the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year and which teach history to Ukrainian schoolchildren in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. Historical narratives created by the Russian propaganda machine are broadcast through school textbooks and used to destroy Ukrainian national identity. Identity deconstruction is seen as an attack on the mental health of schoolchildren, which is classified by international human rights organizations as a crime against humanity. Specific measures are proposed to carry out “cognitive de-occupation”, to overcome the consequences of indoctrination and militarization of the youth.