Russia continues to pursue deliberate efforts aimed at the annexation of Georgia’s occupied territories with soft power instruments. So-called “educational” activities organised by Russia in South Ossetia once again illustrate how the Kremlin leverages soft power mechanisms to consolidate its influence in Georgia’s occupied regions. A series of lectures conducted in Tskhinvali by the Russian organisation “Znanie” is formally presented as serving the purposes of education and youth development. However, the substance of these activities is clearly oriented towards the ideological conditioning of young people.

Over the course of two days, experts dispatched from Russia have been delivering lectures in schools and at the university in South Ossetia. These sessions cover topics such as information warfare, hybrid warfare, patriotism, and Russia’s role in preserving cultural traditions. Particular emphasis within the teaching modules is placed on methodologies for countering so-called Western propaganda, as well as on identifying alleged “manipulation” in online spaces. In this context, it is evident that the programme functions not merely as an educational initiative, but as a targeted ideological instrument.

According to the organisers, the primary objective of the lectures is to foster a system of values among young people, while promoting critical thinking and media literacy. In practice, however, such programmes serve to entrench Russian narratives, in which the Kremlin is portrayed as the principal cultural and political centre, while the West is framed as a threat. This approach facilitates the integration of local youth into Russia’s ideological sphere.

Such activities constitute a classic example of Russia’s use of soft power, aimed at shaping public opinion in the occupied regions, fostering the ideological integration of the local population, particularly young people, and ultimately advancing the deeper political and cultural integration of these territories with Russia. In this process, the spheres of education and information are deployed as primary instruments, creating, over the long term, a favourable environment for annexation.

The organisation Znanie, which is officially funded by the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation, implements similar programmes in Abkhazia. These initiatives should therefore be understood not merely as educational undertakings, but as part of a broader political and informational strategy designed to further entrench Russia’s influence in Georgia’s occupied regions.