Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused Russian authorities of violating human rights obligations by suppressing the Ukrainian language and injecting propaganda into educational curricula in occupied Ukrainian territories. In a recent report, HRW detailed how Russian forces, since their full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, have been systematically erasing the Ukrainian curriculum in the regions they control. This includes the dissemination of misinformation aimed at justifying the invasion and portraying Ukraine as a “neo-Nazi state.”
The HRW report outlines that Russian authorities have incorporated military training in schools within the occupied territories, a policy that echoes a broader resurgence of youth-military training in Russia. Additionally, secondary schools are reportedly required to submit lists of students aged 18 and up for conscription into the Russian military, a practice that contravenes international law prohibiting the forced enlistment of occupied populations.
Approximately one million Ukrainian children are estimated to reside in areas under Russian occupation. Thus, the transformation of the education system has significant implications for these students. Bill Van Esveld, associate children’s rights director at HRW, emphasized the importance of adhering to established international legal frameworks, asserting that Russia should desist from denying Ukrainian children their right to education and should halt efforts to Russify the education system.
Access to education is a fundamental human right enshrined in Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948. The Ukrainian Ministry of Education has also highlighted various challenges faced by the country’s educational system during the invasion, including disruptions with online learning, deteriorating mental health among students and teachers, and negative impacts on students with disabilities.
The situation is further complicated by Article 111 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, which classifies work for occupying authorities as “collaboration activity.” This can result in penalties ranging from corrective labor to arrest or imprisonment, along with bans on certain educational roles and activities. Despite educators often being compelled to work under these hostile conditions, the Ukrainian authorities continue to enforce the criminal penalties associated with collaboration.