Russia approves historical education concept calling for ‘Russia-centrism’ and use of war veterans in schools
Russia’s Education Ministry has approved a “Concept for Historical Education in Educational Organizations,” the ministry’s press service announced.
Minister Sergei Kravtsov said the document calls for building a unified system of historical education that would bring together school classes, extracurricular and supplementary programs, museums, libraries, historical parks, civic organizations, volunteer movements, and digital educational resources.
The implementation plan spans five years.
The draft concept, approved at an Education Ministry board meeting on April 15, 2026, has been published on the unified general education content website. It states that historical education “is based on the principle of ‘Russia-centrism,’” with Russia presented as a “civilization-state with a unique historical experience, a contribution to world culture, and one of the leaders of global progress.”
The concept calls for raising teenagers’ awareness of the memory of victims of the Nazi genocide of the Soviet people and of the heroes of the Fatherland, including participants in the “special military operation.”
One of the directions for implementing the concept in schools will be “the use of the experience of participants and veterans of the special military operation in carrying out historical education events.” War participants are to be brought in to help organize extracurricular activities.
Among the concept’s expected outcomes are strengthening the cohesion of Russian society, preserving “traditional Russian spiritual, moral, and cultural-historical values,” and forming a “patriotically minded” generation.
It was developed to implement Presidential Decree No. 809 on approving the foundations of state policy for the preservation and strengthening of traditional Russian spiritual and moral values, issued in 2022, and Decree No. 314 “On Approving the Foundations of State Policy of the Russian Federation in the Field of Historical Education,” issued in 2024.
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