What kind of “pride” is being imposed on Ukrainian children in the occupation
Article by the documenter of the CCE “Almenda”
Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the aggressor state has directed all available resources toward continuing the war. Even sectors seemingly unrelated to combat operations have been restructured for military purposes. One such strategically important area is youth policy, which, in the hands of the aggressor, has become a tool for forming a mobilization reserve to ensure the possibility of long-term wars in the future.
A distinctive feature of this process is that Russia views not only Russian children and youth as the future of its development but also extends this policy to Ukrainian children in the temporarily occupied territories (TOT). There has been a significant increase in budget funding for youth policy, growing by dozens of times. For instance, more than 40 billion rubles (equivalent to approximately $370 million USD) have been allocated for the “patriotic education” aspect of youth policy in 2024. This amount is four times the expenditures in 2022 and ten times more than in 2021.
The federal budget of the Russian Federation for 2025 allocates 66 billion rubles (approximately $616.5 million USD) for youth policy, which is 20 times more than the expenditures before the full-scale invasion. One budget item includes funding for the patriotic movement of the Association of Student Patriotic Clubs “I Am Proud” (Russian: “Я горжусь”), with planned expenditures of 94.1 million rubles (approximately $878,000 USD).
“I am proud” – what kind of clubs are these?
The Association of Student Patriotic Clubs “I Am Proud” (hereinafter referred to as the Association) was officially established in Russia in August 2021 as part of the federal project “Patriotic Education of Citizens of the Russian Federation,” which is a component of the national project “Education” under the patronage of the Russian Ministry of Education. The Association consists of primary units—clubs created within higher education institutions, involving students in their activities.
However, the activation of these clubs and the increase in their funding began during the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, likely driven by the need to cultivate loyalty among the youth to Kremlin’s decisions and to form a generation ready to support and participate in wars initiated by Russia. This is further corroborated by the official goals of the Association, which include:
- Creating an attractive and desirable image of a Russian patriot;
- Civic and patriotic education in higher educational institutions (hereinafter referred to as HEIs);
- Ensuring the systematic development of student patriotic clubs in HEIs.
These goals are achieved through the implementation of two projects:
- “I Am Proud. Mentors” (Russian: «Я горжусь. Наставники»);
The “I Am Proud. Mentors” project focuses on creating role models from members of the military-patriotic public movement “Yunarmiya” (Young Army) and aims to recruit new members into this militarized movement.
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“I Am Proud. Heroes” (Russian: «Я горжусь. Герои»).
The “I Am Proud. Heroes” project seeks to instill a sense of pride in Russia among students by facilitating interactions with “prominent individuals.”
The Russian authorities classify the following as such “prominent individuals”:
- Participants in the so-called Special Military Operation (SMO);
- Veterans of military actions (other armed conflicts);
- Politicians, government officials, and law enforcement representatives;
- Civic activists and volunteers who regularly participate in “socially significant” projects and others.
Higher education institutions, including those located in the temporarily occupied territories (TOT), are required to organize meetings between students and the aforementioned categories of guests at least once a month. Similar meetings are also held for school-aged children, involving representatives of the “I Am Proud” Association, the “Znanie” organization, and the “Volunteers of Victory.”
These propaganda events in Ukrainian educational institutions under the control of the occupation authorities are effectively aimed at:
- Glorifying Russian military personnel involved in the war against Ukraine;
- Cultivating a positive attitude among young people toward Russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine;
- Encouraging students to sign contracts with the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.
Extension to the TOT
During the 2023–2024 academic year, as part of the “I Am Proud. Heroes” project, 739 meetings were held with participants of the so-called Special Military Operation (SMO) and other combat actions, reaching over 66,200 students. Among them was a significant number of Ukrainian youth living in the temporarily occupied territories (TOT). The activities of the Association extend to at least 22 higher education institutions under the control of the occupation authorities, located across all TOT:
The Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol:
- “I Am Proud” Club at Sevastopol State University.
- “Squadron” Club at Kerch State Maritime Technological University.
- “I Am Proud” Club at V.I. Vernadsky Crimean Federal University.
Donetsk region:
- “Tower” Club at Mariupol State University named after A.I. Kuindzhi.
- “Unconquered Donbas” Club at Donetsk National Technical University.
- “Memory” Club at Gzhel State University.
- “Patriot” Club at the Autonomous Non-Commercial Educational Organization of Higher Education, Donetsk Academy of Transport of the DPR.
- “Flame” Club at Priazov State Technical University.
- “I Am Proud” Club at DonNUET (Donetsk National University of Economics and Trade named after Mykhailo Tugan-Baranovsky).
- “I Am Proud” Club at ADI of DonNTU (Automobile and Road Institute, a branch of Donetsk National Technical University).
- “I Am Proud” Club at S.S. Prokofiev Donetsk State Music Academy.
- “I Am Proud” Club at DonAgra (Donetsk Agrarian Academy).
- “I Am Proud” Club at DonAUI&GS (Donetsk Academy of Management and Civil Service).
- “I Am Proud” Club at Donetsk State University (DonDU).
- “I Am Proud” Club at DonNABA (Donetsk National Academy of Construction and Architecture).
Luhansk region:
- “Matusev’s Guard” Club at Luhansk State Academy of Culture and Arts named after Mykhailo Matusev.
- “Patriotism” Club at Donbas State Technical University.
- “I Am Proud” Club at LSMU named after Saint Luke (Luhansk State Medical University named after Saint Luke) under the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation.
- “I Am Proud” Club at LDU named after V. Dahl (Luhansk State University named after Volodymyr Dahl).
Zaporizhzhia region:
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- “I Am Proud” Club of Melitopol State University.
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Kherson region:
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- “I Am Proud” Club at KAU (Kherson Agrarian University).
- “I Am Proud” Club at KTU (Kherson Technical University).
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In December 2024, the Russian Federation plans to host the patriotic forum “Russia Unites” in Moscow, targeting Ukrainian youth from temporarily occupied territories (TOT). The event aims to gather 200 students, postgraduates, and young professionals aged 18 to 35 from the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics, as well as the temporarily occupied parts of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions. Participants are enticed with offers of free transportation, accommodation, meals, and gifts. The forum’s objective is to train these young Ukrainians in effectively disseminating Russian propaganda and patriotic projects, encouraging them to recruit more youth into such initiatives.
What activities are Ukrainian youth involved in?
The “I Am Proud” Association actively conducts propaganda activities aimed at imposing a sense of affiliation with Russia on Ukrainian youth in the temporarily occupied territories (TOT), eradicating their national identity in the process. These events often promote Russian law enforcement and militarized structures.
For instance, at “V.I. Vernadsky Crimean Federal University” in the TOT of Simferopol, Autonomous Republic of Crimea, meetings are organized for students with representatives of the Juvenile Affairs Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Crimea. During these meetings, they discuss the inadmissibility of inciting hatred and enmity. Under such terms, the occupation authorities typically address the suppression of pro-Ukrainian sentiments and explain the penalties for expressing such positions.
At the same educational institution, the “I Am Proud” team, in collaboration with the “Volunteers of Victory,” organized a quiz game titled “That Very Russia,” dedicated to the so-called National Unity Day. In addition to competing in knowledge of Russian culture and history, students participated in the event alongside employees of the Federal Bailiff Service, aiming to promote such structures among the youth.
Students were also shown the Russification film “The Cultural Code of Russia in Traditions. Russian Meanings,” after which participants presented their own projects, including those on the topic of psychological support for Russian military personnel.
As part of the “I Am Proud. Heroes” project, students met with a graduate of Sevastopol State University who has been serving as a Russian military personnel in the war against Ukraine since 2022. Similar meetings are regularly held in other higher education institutions in the temporarily occupied territories (TOT).
In addition to meetings with Russian military personnel and representatives of law enforcement agencies, the occupation authorities in the temporarily occupied territories (TOT) organize campaigns for children and youth, such as “I Am Proud of My President” (Russian: “Я горжусь своим президентом”), “I Am Proud of My Country” (Russian: “Я горжусь своей страной,” referring to Russia), and “I Remember. I Am Proud!” (Russian: “Я помню! Я горжусь!”), among others.
These titles are manipulative and impose a sense of pride in Russia on Ukrainian youth without offering alternative perspectives. They are designed to instill the perception of Russia as their homeland and the Russian president as “their” leader.
Who is responsible for implementation?
The activities of the Association are carried out under the patronage of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, headed by Minister Valery Nikolayevich Falkov, who is under sanctions from Ukraine, the EU, the USA, Canada, Switzerland, Australia, and New Zealand. The ministry headed by him sends directives to the heads of higher education institutions regarding the mandatory implementation of the “I Am Proud. Heroes” project and monitors compliance with these instructions.
The head of the “I Am Proud” Association is Nikita Oleksiyovych Zinkov, a student at Moscow State University named after M.V. Lomonosov. During his studies, he researched the topic “The Role of Youth Political Organizations in the Political Socialization of Youth,” which likely became one of the key factors in his appointment to the leadership position in the Association.
The direct coordinator of the “I Am Proud. Mentors” project is Tetiana Andriivna Smirnova.
Among the partners of the “I Am Proud” Association are the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, the All-Russian Youth Military-Patriotic Public Movement “Yunarmiya”, the organizations “Officers of Russia”, “Volunteers of Victory”, and others. Partnerships with militarized structures indicate the militaristic and propagandistic objectives of the Association’s activities.
All of this represents just a portion of the tools used by the Russian Federation for the Russification and indoctrination of Ukrainian children under occupation. The CСE “Almenda” continues to highlight these issues to draw attention to the severity of these violations and to advocate for holding those responsible accountable.
The article was prepared by the Center for Civic Education “Almenda” within the framework of the project “Russian Youth Policy as an Instrument of Indoctrination and Militarization of Children”. The content of this document is the sole responsibility of the Public Organization “Center for Civic Education “Almenda” and does not necessarily reflect the position of Civil Rights Defenders.
