Journalists uncover how russian organization “Movement of the First” indoctrinates youth in occupied territories

Journalists from Realna Gazeta, with support from the Open Information Partnership, have uncovered how the russian organization “Movement of the First” is promoting Kremlin-backed ideology and propaganda among children and youth in occupied Ukrainian regions. The investigation delved into the organization’s methods, key figures, and objectives, shedding light on how Moscow aims to reshape young minds to serve its narrative.

The findings were presented during a discussion at the Media Center Ukraine.

According to Oleksandr Bielokobylskyi, editor-in-chief of the Farvater.Skhid website and the report’s author, children and youth are prime targets for russian propaganda in temporarily occupied territories. He pointed out that half of the initial eight russian appointments to the so-called “Luhansk People’s Republic ministries” in 2022 were designated to oversee youth affairs. These officials were tasked with enforcing russian “educational standards” infused with ideological content. Moreover, since 2022, various russian “youth movements” have been actively operating in these regions, including the All-russian military-patriotic movement “Yunarmiya,” the “Movement of the First,” and “russia’s Orlyata.”

Among these, the “Movement of the First” has emerged as the leading force in spreading russian ideology. Established under a direct initiative from russian president vladimir putin, the organization is overseen by Sergey Kiriyenko, the first deputy chief of staff of the presidential executive office. Its director was appointed by a decree from putin himself.

Bielokobylskyi highlighted that the organization is fully financed through the russian federal budget, with allocations reaching billions of rubles—comparable to the budget of an entire russian region. On the ground, its operations are closely managed by the occupation authorities, further cementing its role in advancing the Kremlin’s goals in the TOT.

“This is how it operates in the so-called Luhansk People’s Republic. Before the First Movement was introduced, an assessment of all youth activities in the region was conducted. According to the documents we obtained, they created so-called ‘passports’ for each district and city, documenting the number of children participating in various programs at the school and district levels. Once they had mapped out the landscape and identified key figures, they appointed a regional head for the First Movement—someone with extensive experience in managing large-scale projects. Through the ministry of the so-called LPR, directives were issued to educational institutions mandating the establishment of cells in each school. They also instructed schools to take part in competitions for various so-called ‘educational’ courses, which are essentially platforms for indoctrination. Our report analyzed how this unfolded over the past year, using the changes in the ‘Excellent First’ program at the All-russian Children’s Center ‘Orlyonok’ as a case study.”

For instance, the revamped “Excellent First” program focuses on training children to act as ambassadors for the organization, spreading its influence within their schools and across the region.

According to Oleksandr Bielokobylskyi, the system for indoctrinating children and youth in the temporarily occupied areas operates on a “carrot and stick” approach. The “stick” involves constant monitoring of students’ social media activity by schools to flag and address any undesirable behavior. Meanwhile, the “carrot” comes in the form of opportunities for social mobility through participation in russian organizations, as well as various entertainment and educational activities.

“The ultimate goal is to raise children in the occupied territories to become loyal citizens of the russian federation—obedient, patriotic, and prepared to fight for russia in the future,” Bielokobylskyi explained.The full investigation can be accessed here.

Read more: https://mediacenter.org.ua/news