A stunning documentary is exposing Vladimir Putin’s deep-rooted indoctrination of Russian schoolchildren as the strongman’s invasion of Ukraine approaches its four-year anniversary.
“Mr. Nobody Against Putin” follows kids in a Siberian town – secretly filmed by Pavel “Pasha” Talankin, 34, one of their now exiled teachers – as they are transformed into mini Russian fighters, marching through the hallways and pledging allegiance to the Kremlin.
“We filmed undercover in Pasha’s school for two and a half years, knowing that any misstep could result in Pasha losing his freedom,” co-director David Borenstein, who co-directed the film with Talankin, told The Post.
“His courage is at the heart of the story.”
Set in the industrial city of Karabash – notoriously known as one of the most polluted places on Earth –Talankin filmed inside the local high school where he worked as a videographer, following life after a Russia Education Ministry edict installed a new curriculum aimed at pushing loyalty to the Kremlin.
“I love my job,” he says in the documentary, “but I don’t want to be a pawn of the regime.”
After studying film in Russia’s regional capital of Chelyabinsk, Talankin returned home to work at Karabash School No. 1 where he previously graduated from.
Armed with just a camera, he outwardly complied with Putin’s propaganda push while discreetly documenting it.
While Putin continues to wage his war on Ukraine, the school is seen transforming into a pipeline to the bloody conflict. Students compete in grenade-throwing drills, attend weekly patriotic lectures and watch classmates receive conscription notices, according to the documentary.
Shortly after the end of the school year in 2024, Talankin made his daring escape, fleeing Moscow for Istanbul, where he met Borenstein for the first time.
“For anyone that watches this, the message that Putin is delivering to the children of Russia is clear: prepare for a future of warfare and empire,” Borenstein warned.
“This does not end with just Ukraine.”
In one chilling scene, Russian residents are filmed parading through the streets during Victory Day celebrations holding portraits of soldiers killed in World War II — and in Kyiv — blurring the line between past and present.
In another clip, fighters from the Wagner mercenary group demonstrate combat techniques and introduce students to weapons at a school assembly.
The film, made its US premiere at Greenwich Village’s IFC Center last month and has been nominated for an Oscar – with Talankin appearing at a screening to promote the film in the Big Apple last week.
It was first released in Europe in 2025.
The exiled teacher said he knew the risks of the project but his unwavering commitment to the film’s message kept him going.
“Love for your country is not about putting up a flag.” Talankin explained. “It is not about singing the anthem either. It’s not about exploitation and propaganda.
“Love for your country means saying: ‘We have a problem.’”
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