Schools Turn Into Museums of War in Ukraine Under State Patriotic Push in Russia

Authorities in Moscow have оrdered schools and colleges to establish museums dedicated to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin announced that 175 such museums have already been set up across the city. According to 2025 data, Moscow has more than 2,300 secondary educational institutions, meaning the exhibits currently exist in about 8% of schools and colleges, The Moscow Times reported on April 23.

Sobyanin stated that these museums help children "better learn the modern history of the Motherland and its heroes," featuring more than 250 artifacts from the front lines alongside various installations.

Examples cited by the mayor include the "Donbas: The Return" museum at School No. 1164, the "For the Truth!" exhibit at School No. 1517, and a display at School No. 1409 dedicated to graduates participating in the invasion—a trend that has now extended to several technical and professional colleges across the capital.

The Russian push to create these museums began following a directive from Vladimir Putin in the spring of 2023. More than 200 such exhibits were already open in Russian schools, often including items brought back from the front, such as shell fragments and other trophies.

Such practices are also extending to early childhood education. Last November, reports surfaced that kindergartens were recommended to create their own museums regarding Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

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Approved by experts at a national forum on preschool education supported by the Ministry of Education, this initiative is moving forward. Stated goals of the project include forming "patriotism and citizenship" in young children, developing pride in "the defenders of the country," and encouraging respect for military professions.

Involving children and their parents in volunteer activities to support those involved in the war is another key aim of the initiative.

Efforts to transform the national education system into a recruitment and indoctrination tool for the next generation are no longer being disguised by the Kremlin. In early 2026, Ukrainian intelligence reported that Russian authorities have integrated drone operation and firearms training into the formal school curriculum.

Currently, as the ministry of education mandates the study of specific combat figures and rewritten history, it is apparent that the line between civilian education and military mobilization has effectively vanished.

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