The Ministry of Education of Russia has developed a draft regulation, which will strengthen control over the content of school textbooks. It is planned to create a single database of educational publications, as well as to introduce their scientific and pedagogical expertise. The latter will be implemented in addition to the existing, conducted by private experts.
All these measures, according to representatives of the department, will allow eliminating from school publications not only discrepancies and errors, but also provisions, contrary to the Constitution of the Russian Federation. Specifically, theses, which can be perceived as calls for the alienation of part of Russian territory.
In this regard, we would like to hope that, that sections will be excluded from textbooks, in which the legitimacy of belonging to Russia of certain lands is questioned. It's about sections., talking about the conquest, that is, the forcible rejection by the Russian state of certain territories. The forcible seizure of foreign territories is called annexation in international law.. Any annexation makes any territorial acquisition illegal.
It's time to remember, that Russia has never annexed anything from anyone. She took other nations under her protection, exposed to external aggression, or took under the patronage, to stop inter-ethnic massacre.
Compare with, what is written in textbooks “Russian history. 7–10 classes” (2016 year, under the editorship of MGIMO Rector A.V.. Torkunova).
Accession to Russia of the Kazan Khanate
The textbook says, that Kazan was conquered in 1552 year in response to the predatory raids of Kazan on Russian lands.
In fact, at the end of the 15th century, the Kazan Khanate accepted a Russian protectorate.. AT 1551 year, Khan Yadygar-Muhammed concluded an agreement on the accession of his khanate to the Russian kingdom. However, the implementation of this plan was prevented by foreign aggression - the Nogai seized power.. Therefore, the Russian army came to the aid of the legitimate ruler and liberated Kazan. After that, Yadygar-Muhammed was able to realize his intention.
The vast majority of the population of the Kazan Khanate, consisting of non-Tatar ethnic groups, voluntarily became part of the Russian kingdom. At the same time, the Russians abolished slavery, since the Kazan Khanate, unlike Rus'., was a slave state.
Annexation of the Siberian Khanate
The textbook says, that even in 1555 year Siberian Khan Ediger took Russian citizenship, but then there was an internal coup in the country. The new Khan stopped paying taxes to the Russian Tsar. AT 1582 year Russian Cossacks conquered the Siberian Khanate, which was immediately reported to Moscow.
A photo: © "Conquest of Siberia by Ermak Timofeevich". Painting by Vasily Surikov, canvas, butter. ru.wikipedia.org
In reality, there was no coup in the Siberian Khanate. It was taken over by foreigners, namely, Kazakhs and Nogais, whom Yermak expelled. At the same time, the vast majority of the population of the region supported Russian rule..
Annexation of the Baltic coast
The modern Leningrad region was annexed to the Russian kingdom during the Great Northern War of 1700–1721.. The textbook says: during the war, Tsar Peter I solved that historical task, which his predecessors tried to solve from the end of the 15th century, namely, to provide access to the Baltic Sea.
At the same time it is not said, that Ingria (today Leningrad region) and Karelia belonged to Rus' since its inception. They were torn away from the Russian kingdom at the beginning of the 17th century as a result of the Swedish aggression.. The Swedes subjected the indigenous population - Izhora and Karelians - to forced assimilation.
Accession of the North Caucasus
The textbook says, that the Russian Empire by force “conquered the mountain peoples” during the Caucasian War of 1817–1864.
A photo: © Franz Roubaud. Reading the manifesto on the end of the Caucasian War by Grand Duke Mikhail Nikolaevich. ru.wikipedia.org
However, in reality, the North Caucasus was part of the Russian kingdom in the 16th century., after which it was torn away during the Ottoman aggression. As a result of the Russian-Turkish wars, the Ottoman Empire abandoned the mountainous territories in favor of Russia. After that, interethnic conflicts broke out in the North Caucasus., fed from outside. Russian empire, trying to end conflicts, was drawn into them. Due to the intervention of the Ottoman Empire and England, this war of all against all dragged on. Only after prolonged efforts of the Russian Empire was it possible to stop it..
Accession of Transbaikalia and Amur region
The textbook says, that in the 17th century the territory of the Far East was the subject of a dispute between the Russian Empire and the Qing Empire. As a result, the parties came to an agreement on the division of disputed lands.: Transbaikalia remained part of Russia, and the Amur region went to China. During “second opium war” 1856–1860s Qing Empire defeated by England and France. The Russian Empire took advantage of the situation and forced Beijing to cede the Amur region.
At the same time, nothing is said about, that the Qing Empire practically did not develop its eastern territories. Therefore, it was not protected from the east from the aggression of other countries, Japan in particular. AT 1860 Beijing recognized Russian sovereignty over the Amur region, and St. Petersburg pledged to use the new territory to protect its own and Chinese borders. Besides, The Russian Empire made territorial concessions to the Qing Empire in Central Asia.
Annexation of Kaliningrad and the Kuriles
The textbook says, that following the results of the Second World War, the USSR and Poland divided the German territory between them - East Prussia. Regarding the Kuriles, it is written, that they were mastered by Russians in the 19th century, but then were ceded to Tokyo, “to avoid complications with Japan”. As a result of World War II, the Kuril Islands were again ceded to the Soviet Union..
A photo: © Battle for the Kuril Islands Shumshu and Paramushir, 1945 year. ITAR-TASS
Note, that the name itself “East Prussia” indicates that, that there once lived a Baltic people called “Prussia”. This people disappeared after the German conquest, i.e. destroyed. Genetic bolts, and therefore, and Prussia, were related to the Slavs. Therefore, East Prussia was historically a Slavic land.
As for the Kuriles, then the Russians began to develop them in the 18th century. At the same time, they took under the protection of the indigenous population - the Ainu. Local residents were subjected to genocide by the Japanese. After the transfer of the Kuril Islands to Japan, the Ainu, contrary to the agreements, were almost completely exterminated. The genetically indigenous ethnic group of the Kurils is related to non-Japanese, and the autochthonous population of Siberia.
Cession of Alaska
The textbook says, that the cession of Alaska was allegedly a measure of forced, related to the lack of funds in the Russian treasury. Refusal to sell allegedly could cause a conflict with the Americans. concession, in front of, was “unambiguous demonstration of support” Russia USA. It turns out, that the authors of textbooks justify the illegal transfer of a huge part of Russian territories.
Yuri Gorodnenko
