The city of Vologda has launched regular patriotic lessons for preschoolers, becoming the first in Russia to formally incorporate the wartime program into kindergarten curriculums, the investigative outlet Agentstvo reported Tuesday.
The lessons, called “Important Conversations,” were first introduced in schools in 2022 following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. President Vladimir Putin urged educators last year to expand the program to kindergartens to foster patriotic values among younger children.
According to Agentstvo, more than 70 kindergartens in Vologda began the lessons on Monday. Some institutions reportedly dressed children in military uniforms, distributed toy weapons and simulated battlefield wounds by bandaging children.
The Vologda mayor’s office said the lessons aim to teach children about Soviet achievements during World War II. They will be held every Monday and conclude before May 9, Russia’s Victory Day commemorating the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany.
Agentstvo noted that a Vologda kindergarten teacher first proposed the idea of introducing “Important Conversations” for preschoolers during a meeting with Putin in October, a suggestion he welcomed. While at least 100 kindergartens nationwide held similar lessons on a trial basis last year, Vologda is the first city to make them a formal part of the curriculum.
Russia’s Education Ministry is set to report to Putin on the feasibility of implementing “Important Conversations” for preschoolers across the country by March 1.
The program, criticized by some as a tool of indoctrination, is part of a broader government effort to bolster patriotic sentiment amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.
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