Bishop Joseph agrees with Skadovsk administration to cooperate on youth upbringing under the guise of preserving traditions
On the temporarily occupied territories of the Kherson region, occupation authorities and religious structures have begun systematic cooperation to exert propagandistic influence on youth. Representatives of the Skadovsk administration and Bishop Joseph of Skadovsk and Aleshky reached agreements on measures for the upbringing of children, which effectively aims at spreading Russian ideological narratives. This was reported by Центр національного спротиву, according to the portal PromPolitInform.
In the city of Skadovsk, controlled by Russian troops, a meeting took place between representatives of the occupation administration and the Orthodox clergy. Bishop Joseph of Skadovsk and Aleshky reached agreements with local officials regarding the organization of joint programs in the field of youth upbringing. The official reason for this cooperation is stated as the preservation of family values and support for cultural traditions.
Ideological control through religion
According to the Center for National Resistance, the real goal of this cooperation lies in creating additional channels for broadcasting Russian propaganda among Ukrainian children. The occupation authorities use the authority of church institutions to legitimize their ideological campaigns, attempting to mask political influence under spiritual guidance.
Schools on occupied territories had previously introduced special lessons titled “Conversations About Important Things,” which became the main tool of propaganda. Involving the church in the educational process expands the range of influence methods, allowing the combination of secular lectures with religious teachings.
Displacement of Ukrainian identity
Under slogans of morality, spirituality, and return to traditions, the occupation administration strives to instill loyalty to Russia and its policies among the youth. The system of ideological education is designed to gradually displace Ukrainian national identity and replace it with a pro-Kremlin worldview model.
This approach is part of a broader strategy by the Russian Federation to reconstruct public consciousness on temporarily occupied territories. Religious structures become instruments of social control, ensuring constant contact with children and their families during martial law.
Illustrative photo: Scotch Mist / CC BY-SA 4.0
