A Kyiv court has sentenced two editors of a Russian high school textbook, published in 2023, to ten years in prison for their roles in promoting narratives that undermine Ukraine’s sovereignty. The sentencing, announced by Ukraine’s Office of the Prosecutor General on May 8, 2023, targets Anatoly Torkunov and Vladimir Medinsky, both of whom are accused of inciting territorial claims against Ukraine.
The textbook, titled “History. History of Russia. 1945 to the Beginning of the 21st Century,” has been described as a tool of Russian information policy, particularly in occupied territories of Ukraine. Prosecutors argue that its content includes calls for altering Ukraine’s borders and justifies Russia’s military aggression, thereby distorting historical events for educational purposes.
According to the Prosecutor General’s Office, the Russian government has focused on influencing children in occupied areas, presenting them with ideologically biased narratives. The textbook has reportedly been used in schools across temporarily occupied regions, including Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Crimea, since September 1, 2023. It has also been disseminated within Russia.
Prosecutors emphasized that Torkunov and Medinsky were charged with encroaching upon Ukraine’s territorial integrity and legitimizing Russia’s military actions against the country. They are also accused of glorifying Russian military participants.
Vladimir Medinsky, an aide to the Russian president, previously led the Russian delegation in negotiations with Ukraine during the spring of 2022 and has been involved in subsequent discussions. His recent reappointment has been interpreted by Ukrainian officials as an attempt by Moscow to prolong the negotiation process.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has criticized Medinsky for his lack of constructive engagement in negotiations, recalling a meeting in Turkey where Ukraine was urged to send a high-level team, while Russia sent Medinsky, who focused on historical interpretations dating back to 1250.
As of now, neither Torkunov nor Medinsky has publicly commented on the court’s ruling.
A Kyiv court has sentenced two Russian textbook editors to ten years in prison for promoting narratives that challenge Ukraine's territorial integrity. The ruling reflects ongoing tensions over educational materials used in occupied regions of Ukraine.