Ukraine’s police have detained Russian teachers who came there from mainland Russia to teach the Kremlin-approved curriculum, the country’s vice PM Iryna Vereshchuk has told Strana.
The teachers are facing up to 12 years in prison for “violating warfare laws and customs”.
“They have committed a crime against our nation. We warned Russian citizens who agreed to come and get involved into illegal activities here many times. The court will decide their fate. There are still many Russian nationals in our country who came into the occupied territories for some reason, and they will also face harsh punishment should they not leave immediately,” Vereshchuk said.
She also added that the teachers would not be subject to POW exchange since they are not combatants: “the Geneva conventions do not imply exchanging non-combatants.” Ukrainian teachers who agreed to teach Russia’s curriculum will face collaboration charges.
Russia’s Education Ministry indicated earlier that reinstalling school education on the occupied territories was their “top priority.”
