A new documentary has laid bare the extent of Vladimir Putin's ideological campaign in Russian schools, showing how children are being indoctrinated with ultra-nationalist views and prepared for military service. The film, Mr Nobody Against Putin, was created by teacher Pavel Talankin, who secretly recorded the militarisation of his school in the industrial town of Karabash in the Ural mountains.
Talankin, a nonconformist educator known as Pasha to his students, was ordered by his superiors to document the implementation of Kremlin directives after the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Instead, he captured an unfiltered insider's view of how children are forced to march with Russian flags, read revised history books defending the war, and compete in grenade-throwing tournaments. War veterans, including former Wagner Group convicts, visit schools to preach 'patriotic values'.
The documentary, co-directed with US filmmaker David Borenstein, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival last month, winning the World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award. Talankin said he knew the material had to be preserved for history, as any journalist attempting to film would be jailed. 'The Russian ministry of education would send extremely detailed orders that certain lessons had to be filmed, and I would go and film,' he explained.
The film portrays teachers navigating their roles as propagandists. Some, like history teacher Abdulmanov, fully embrace the pro-war sentiment. Others confide in Talankin their discomfort. 'Many teachers don't want to do this, but they're trapped,' he said, noting that jobs are scarce in Karabash and older teachers cannot easily relocate. Talankin warns that the effects of militarisation are real, even if much of the classroom activity feels like staged roleplay for the cameras.
