Russia's Erasure of Ukrainian Identity in Occupied Cities
In the Ukrainian cities seized by Russia since its 2022 invasion, a systematic campaign is underway to erase Ukrainian culture and history, replacing it with a Russian identity. This effort extends from rewriting school curricula to seizing property, fundamentally reshaping life for the occupied population.
The port city of Mariupol, largely destroyed during a brutal siege, has become a primary focus of this policy. Russia is overseeing a large-scale reconstruction, but former residents report the new city rising from the ruins is being built without them, its purpose being to cement political control [10761]. All markers of Ukrainian culture are being removed, and a new report details a "systematic effort to erase Ukrainian identity," including changes to school lessons and suppression of the Ukrainian language [24810].
A central pillar of this campaign targets children. In occupied territories, Russian authorities have rewritten textbooks and retrained teachers to align education with Russian political and historical viewpoints, removing key Ukrainian events and figures [49879]. A New York Times investigation revealed assignments requiring students to watch speeches by President Vladimir Putin and even take "selfies" with his image in the background as part of their homework [49879]. Analysts describe this as "cultural occupation," designed to solidify long-term control by indoctrinating the next generation.
Parallel to this, Russia is enacting laws to strip Ukrainians of their property rights. A new decree allows occupation authorities to seize homes and land deemed "ownerless," a category applied to apartments of those who fled after the invasion [28321]. In Mariupol alone, a U.S.-funded study found authorities are using an opaque commission to take apartments from owners deemed "unreliable," with many seized units left vacant, possibly for future Russian personnel [53880]. The law enabling these seizures is set to remain in force until at least 2030 [28321].
While this cultural and legal transformation proceeds, the humanitarian situation for remaining residents remains severe. In Mariupol, basic services are scarce, and authorities have suspended a free school meal program for over 10,000 children, citing budget issues, even as funds are directed to new symbolic construction [53880]. The combined effect, observers conclude, prioritizes Russia's military and political goals over the basic needs of the Ukrainian population it now controls.