The representation of the invasion of Estonia in 1918 and 1940 in contemporary Russian school history textbooks

This article analyzes how the events of the Estonian War of Independence in 1918–1920 and the annexation of Estonia in 1940 are presented in Russian secondary school history textbooks published between 1997 and 2023. It explores the evolution of interpretative frameworks shaping these narratives and assesses the presence of pluralistic approaches to the past within Russia’s general secondary education system, which in recent years has increasingly shifted toward a monistic model. Particular attention is paid to how new narratives reflect the rhetoric of the Russian political elite, as well as the key argumentative strategies used in attempts to legitimize or justify Russia’s actions.