Publisher scrubs mentions of Kyiv from Kyivan Rus section of history textbooks

A new edition of the Russian fourth-grade textbook The World Around has removed several references to Kyiv in chapters about the history of Kyivan Rus, reports Mediazona.

The previous edition of the textbook says that the Rus Primary Chronicle, also known as the Tale of Bygone Years, was written by Nestor, a monk in the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra. The new edition simply calls Nestor a monk, without specifying where he lived and worked.

Mediazona notes that the previous edition says that Prince Vladimir baptized all the people of Kyiv, and the new version has replaced “Kyiv” with “the capital.” The new version also changed the phrase “After the death of Oleg, Prince Igor ruled in Kyiv” to “After the death of Oleg, Prince Igor ruled Rus.”

A textbook on the history of Russia for sixth-graders (a 2016 edition) says “Many historians call 882, when Oleg united Novgorod and Kyiv, the date of the founding of the Old Russian state.” The 2023 edition puts it differently: “Gradually, the dynasty of princes that traced back to Rurik acquired the greatest significance. The formation of the Rus state is associated with Rurik being invited to Novgorod in 862.”

The new edition of The World Around has not been released, reports Mediazona. Journalists also found out about methodological materials designed to help teachers clarify Kyiv’s role in the history of Russia. Those materials are set to appear in schools by the end of spring.