Occupation of Education: The Story of a Ukrainian School Captured by the "Russian World"

Viktoriia Novikova and Ivan Antypenko

Photo: Ivan Antypenko

This article explores the transformation of a Ukrainian school in Mykilske, Kherson Oblast, under Russian occupation. Following the 2022 invasion, Russian forces imposed their educational standards, replacing Ukrainian curricula with Russian ones and introducing propaganda aimed at assimilating Ukrainian children. Teachers faced pressure to conform, with some resigning in protest and facing subsequent intimidation. Parents grappled with the dilemma of enrolling their children in the new system or seeking alternatives. The school was re-registered under Russian jurisdiction, becoming a central institution in the area, while others were closed. Students received Russian textbooks, and instruction shifted entirely to Russian, illustrating the broader strategy of cultural erasure and identity suppression in occupied territories.

Read the full article in Delfi (Lithuania) here.