Atlases with annexed territories of Ukraine spotted in Germany

In Germany, educational institutions have begun to distribute atlases in which the Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine are marked in a color that falsely creates the impression of a contradictory affiliation of Ukrainian territories.

Activist Oleksiy Snidalov drew attention to this on his Facebook page.

He published a photo of the Westermann atlas, where Crimea, as well as four Ukrainian regions - Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson - are marked in a different color than the rest of Ukraine. At the same time, parts of Ukraine that have already been liberated by the Ukrainian army or have never been occupied, such as parts of Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions, are marked in a different color.

"This is the kind of atlas published by Westermann that children receive in gymnasiums, at least in Lower Saxony, Germany. On this map, the territory annexed by Russia is marked in pink. Marking an action on a school map that is not recognized by Germany, the EU or the UN can be considered incorrect, as it creates a false impression of disputed territory," Snidalov explained in his post.

The section with the controversial map is called "Geopolitics" in the atlas. It shows conflict zones and power blocs, such as NATO and the CSTO. The map also shows the border of the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact states.

Author - Olena Madiak, 04/08/2023