RUSSIAN TEACHER’S HIDDEN FOOTAGE EXPOSES PUTIN’S WAR PROPAGANDA IN SCHOOLS

A clandestine documentary capturing Russia’s forced war propaganda curriculum in schools has earned an Oscar nomination, bringing worldwide attention to the Kremlin’s efforts to indoctrinate Russian youth following the invasion of Ukraine.

The film, titled “Mr. Nobody Against Putin,” reveals the reality inside Russian classrooms where teachers are required to deliver state-sanctioned lessons glorifying the war against Ukraine, denigrating Ukrainian identity, and promoting pro-Russian nationalist narratives.

At the center of this documentary is Pasha Talankin, a teacher from the industrial town of Karabash who secretly recorded his experiences while being forced to participate in what he describes as “Putin’s pro-war propaganda machine.” Talankin, who eventually fled Russia fearing for his safety, collaborated with Danish filmmaker David Borenstein to create the documentary.

The footage provides rare first-hand evidence of how the Russian government has systematically reshaped education following its February 2022 invasion, transforming schools into instruments of state propaganda. Teachers across Russia have been required to implement the new curriculum or face serious professional and potentially legal consequences.

In an interview with Scott Tong of public radio’s “Here & Now,” Borenstein discussed how the documentary came together under dangerous circumstances. Filming such content in Russia carried significant risks, as the Putin regime has increasingly criminalized any criticism of what it continues to call a “special military operation” rather than a war.

Education experts note that Russia’s efforts to control classroom messaging represents a return to Soviet-era ideological instruction, with schools serving as a primary vehicle for shaping young Russians’ worldview. The curriculum reportedly includes lessons justifying the invasion through false historical narratives about Ukrainian nationhood and fabricated claims about Ukrainian “Nazism.”

The documentary highlights the moral dilemma faced by educators like Talankin, who found themselves torn between professional obligations and personal conscience. Many teachers throughout Russia have quietly resigned rather than participate in the propaganda efforts, while others have continued teaching under duress, fearing unemployment or worse.

“Teachers are being weaponized in this conflict,” explained Dr. Elena Volkova, a specialist in post-Soviet education systems at Columbia University, who was not involved in the film. “They’re being forced to choose between their livelihoods and becoming agents of state propaganda. Many feel trapped and powerless.”

Russia’s Ministry of Education implemented the curriculum changes shortly after the invasion began, part of a broader crackdown on independent information inside Russia. Alongside the new school programs, the government has shut down independent media outlets, blocked access to international news sources, and criminalized what it calls “fake news” about the military.

For Karabash, the industrial town where Talankin taught, the war has exacerbated existing economic challenges. Like many small Russian manufacturing centers, Karabash has struggled with deindustrialization and environmental degradation from Soviet-era pollution. Economic hardship has made communities like these particularly vulnerable to state propaganda that promises restoration of Russian greatness.

The Oscar nomination for “Mr. Nobody Against Putin” comes amid growing international concern about Russia’s information warfare tactics, which extend far beyond its borders through social media campaigns and state-backed international broadcasting.

Human rights organizations have condemned Russia’s educational propaganda as a violation of children’s rights to accurate information. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has expressed concern that politicized education undermines critical thinking and international understanding.

For Talankin, now living in exile, the documentary represents both personal risk and moral necessity. Other teachers who have spoken out against the war curriculum have faced harassment, dismissal, and in some cases, criminal charges under Russia’s “fake news” laws.

“Mr. Nobody Against Putin” is scheduled for wider release following the Academy Awards ceremony, providing international audiences with an unprecedented window into how authoritarianism shapes the classroom experience in contemporary Russia.