As schoolchildren across Russia sat through compulsory lessons telling the Kremlin version of why Vladimir Putin’s forces invaded Ukraine, Moscow teacher Kamran Manafly wrote a post on Instagram on why he refused to put his students through “state propaganda”.
Within hours, the school’s headteacher called him to demand that he delete the post — then fired him when he refused. When some parents demanded that he be reinstated, the principal sent them pictures from Manafly’s Instagram feed showing the sacked teacher waving a US flag and called him an “agent of the west”, he said.
“Two years ago it was normal,” said the 28-year-old, who is considering leaving Russia over fears for his safety. “Now it’s like I’m an enemy of the people.”