While Russia wages war against Ukraine, another battle is unfolding on a different front—a war against children. Specifically, against non-Russian children.
As the Kremlin seeks to sustain its war economy, the need for migrant labor continues to grow. Yet, simultaneously, the government is doubling down on efforts to preserve Russian culture— mirroring Soviet era policies when the imposition of the Russian language was used as a tool of control across the republics.
Under current legislation, public schools in Russia are obligated to accept children unless there are no available spots. However, in December 2024, the Russian State Duma passed a law that shifts this paradigm. Effective April 1, 2025, migrant children will need to prove their proficiency in the Russian language before enrolling in public schools. Additionally, they must present legal residency documentation to access primary or secondary education.
Deputy Speaker of the Duma and author of the bill, Irina Yarovaya, described the legislation as a safeguard for the rights of Russian citizens to accessible, high-quality education. She stated that if a child fails the language test, their parents can reapply for school admission after the child improves their proficiency with no limit on the number of possible attempts. Yarovaya asserted that the amendments align with international agreements, as education still technically remains both accessible and free.
“Guarantees provided by the Russian state can only be accessed by those who reside in Russia legally. Therefore, this bill establishes mandatory proof of legal residency for enrolling children of foreign nationals or stateless persons in schools,” Yarovaya explained.
The legislation introduces free mandatory Russian language testing for foreign children as a prerequisite for school admission. Yarovaya argued that this measure ensures academic success and prevents conflicts, psychological trauma, or miscommunication with teachers and classmates due to language barriers.
This is not the first time the infamous Yarovaya has targeted children with restrictive laws, her initiatives often target vulnerable groups. For example, in 2023, she backed legislation banning the adoption of Russian children by citizens of countries where gender transitioning is legal. This move was criticized for discriminating against LGBTQ+ individuals and limiting opportunities for orphaned children to find stable homes.
Anzor Muzaev, the head of Rosobrnadzor (The Russian Federal Service for Supervision in Education and Science), echoed Yarovaya’s sentiments— questioning why schools should admit a seventh-grader who doesn’t know a single word of Russian. According to him, migrant families have enough time to prepare for their relocation to Russia— including learning the language— as decisions to move are rarely made on a whim.
However, this perspective overlooks the reality that the ultimate burden falls on the most vulnerable: migrant children, not their parents, even if the latter acted irresponsibly or without adequate preparation. These children, entirely dependent on adults, cannot return to their countries of origin independently, nor can they quickly acquire a new language and navigate the challenges of integration without support. Rather than creating an inclusive environment to aid their education, the law appears punitive, penalizing these children for their parents’ perceived failures or for their own “undesirability” in Russia’s current political climate.
Human rights organizations and experts have criticized the legislation as discriminatory. Amnesty International’s Russia Director, Natalia Zviagina, stated that the bill violates international law and Russia’s constitution, both of which guarantee the right to free education without discrimination. Education is a fundamental human right enshrined in international law to ensure every child has access to learning opportunities, regardless of their background.
Critics of the new law warn that the law could marginalize hundreds of thousands of children, depriving them of essential education and hindering their integration into society. Sofya Ismailova, the coordinator of the “Access to Education” project at the “Civil Assistance” committee, believes that denying children with poor language skills access to schools is direct discrimination.
Concerns have also arisen regarding the lack of accessible Russian language courses for migrant children. Currently, there are no free state-provided programs to help these children learn Russian, making schools the primary avenue for language acquisition and social integration. Without alternative support systems, the law may effectively exclude non-Russian speaking migrant children from education. Unfortunately, according to Yarovaya, “Schools are engaged in teaching, not preparation for school.”
International research and experience consistently show that integrating non-native speaking children into mainstream classrooms, rather than segregating them based on language (or other) proficiency, leads to better academic and social outcomes. Studies such as Heckmann’s indicate that segregation can hinder academic performance. Early immersion in an educational system and increased support in learning the lingua franca of the immigration country, on the other hand, leads to faster integration and better results.
Different countries have developed various strategies to address language barriers for migrant children. For instance, France utilizes specialized programs such as language transition classes or “welcome courses” that help support migrant children in acquiring the host country’s language and aid their transition into regular classrooms. These initiatives focus on rapid language acquisition to bring children up to the same level as their peers, allowing them to integrate smoothly into mainstream education.
In Sweden, the focus is on inclusive education, where migrant children are provided with optional mother tongue instruction and tailored Swedish as a Second Language (SVA) programs. The aim is to offer support while integrating students into the broader educational environment, ensuring they receive equal opportunities for learning.
Ultimately, these strategies prioritize language development and social integration, ensuring that migrant children have the opportunity to thrive in their new environments without being excluded or isolated from their peers.
The Perspective spoke with two Russian mothers Alexandra and Maria whose children started school in foreign countries without prior knowledge of the native language. .
Alexandra’s daughter was enrolled in school in Sweden at the age of 15, an age when even many native adolescents face difficulties adjusting. The lack of a common language made integration even harder for Alexandra’s daughter. “Of course, they don’t require language proficiency to enter the system,” she said, “but the support within the system was quite limited.” Alexandra started in 9th grade, but the first year was particularly tough, with no Russian-speaking peers and minimal language support. The school offered native language lessons, but she only had one hour a week of Russian language class. After some negotiation, Alexandra was able to arrange additional Swedish language lessons for her daughter, but it was a challenge . Alexandra finished the year with just two grades—Russian and carpentry—making it impossible to continue in a regular high school. She was then placed in a special language program for 16–19-year-olds who had recently arrived in the country, focusing on language acquisition alongside other subjects. This program allowed her to integrate into the system. Now, in her second year, the process of integration is finally progressing smoothly.
Having moved twice, Maria and her two children found that Poland’s education system was very flexible and supportive. “We were treated with kindness, and they provided a free teacher to help with Polish,” Maria shared. Her children, although initially struggling with the language, were welcomed and made good progress. In Spain, however, it was more difficult. Maria recalls her children feeling shy, speaking sparsely until seven months into their time there despite having already made friends and communicating through play. Three years have passed and now her daughter helps newly arrived Ukrainian children in school, demonstrating how much progress she herself has made in integrating. ‘‘No one asks to prove the legal status in the country. All children are accepted,’’ Maria adds.
As we can see, integrating children who don’t speak the local language into new educational systems can be challenging and does not always work as it should in practice. However, isolation without addressing the core issue will not lead to better outcomes.
Nevertheless, despite all the logical arguments and international examples , Russia continues to pass controversial laws that not only restrict migrants’ rights but also undermine opportunities for genuine integration. This new legislation is just one part of a wider crackdown on migrants, fueled by increasing legal deportation powers and police raids on migrant communities. With over six million registered migrants in the country, and President Vladimir Putin estimating that as many as ten million foreign workers live in Russia, the pressure on these groups is intensifying.
As Amnesty International points out, these actions reflect a broader pattern of discrimination where vulnerable communities face growing restrictions and systemic neglect. The result is a harsh reality for migrants, who are left to navigate an environment of exclusion and uncertainty, despite the undeniable contribution they make to Russian society.
By Lera Lindström
January 28, 2025
