In Vladimir Putin’s latest plan to bolster Russian nationalism, school kids heading back to classrooms this September will be given “patriotic” lessons about his government’s values. Sergei Novikov, head of Russia’s presidential directorate for social projects, told state media that schools across the nation will be dedicating hours to “conversations about important things” in line with the values set out in the Kremlin’s national-security strategy. Novikov’s job is to “strengthen the spiritual and moral foundations of Russian society” and nourish “young people’s patriotic education,” according to the Kremlin’s website. The Russian education minister, Sergei Kravtsov, previously announced history lessons for kids as young as 7 that would emphasize denials that Russia brutalized neighboring countries, including Belarus and Ukraine.
