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On Feb. 24, 2022, Russian tanks crossed the Ukrainian border. Six months later, on Sept. 5, 18 million Russian schoolchildren heard about “conversations about important matters” for the first time—a new weekly lesson that became mandatory for all schools in the country, from first to 11 th grade.

Every Monday, first period, children aged 6 to 18 sit at their desks to learn about “serving the motherland,” “restoring historical justice” in Crimea, and why modern Russian soldiers are real heroes, unlike “fictional” Western superheroes. Since 2022, Russian schoolchildren have attended 102 such lessons.

“Conversations about important matters” isn’t just a new subjec

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