The Russian Ministry of Education denies that the Ukrainian military detained Russian teachers in the liberated territories of Ukraine. The department’s response is quoted by TASS:
“All Russian teachers who previously went to teach in the liberated territories are now where the situation is controlled by the Russian military and the military of the LDNR. Statements that they have been prosecuted in the Kharkiv region and face a prison term are not true.”
The Ministry of Education claims that since September 1, in the Kharkiv region, about 90 schools began to work in full-time mode, where only local teachers teach.
However, the version of the Ministry of Education differs from the actions of the Investigative Committee (IC). Chairman of the Investigative Committee Alexander Bastrykin instructed to open a criminal case on the fact of detention of teachers. The department said in a statement that they taught in the Kharkiv region according to Russian curricula.
On the evening of September 12, Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine Irina Vereshchuk announced the detention of teachers. According to her, they will be tried under Art. 438 of the Criminal Code (violation of the laws and customs of war). This article provides for punishment in the form of imprisonment for a term of 8 to 12 years.
In early July, Radio Liberty wrote that a “Russified” program would be introduced in schools in the territories of Ukraine occupied by Russia from the new academic year. Local residents say that Ukrainian teachers are forced to switch to it under the threat of dismissal and other reprisals. Because of this, teachers are in a hopeless situation.