The German map and atlas manufacturer MairDumont has released a new product that has caused outrage among users and civil society organizations. Their maps and guides, available in bookstores in Western Europe, show Ukraine's internationally recognized borders as "disputed" in relation to Russia.
This unexpected detail came to light when Nina, a resident of Ukraine who was forced to move to Austria because of the war, bought a geographical atlas for her 12-year-old son. She chose a large edition with a hard cover, bought in one of the largest bookstores in Vienna. However, after examining the purchase in detail, Nina was shocked.
"When I first opened the map of Europe, I noticed strange dotted lines that ran through the middle of Ukraine. At first I didn't understand what it meant, but then I read the transcript and realized that it was an indication that the east and south of Ukraine is 'disputed territory'," said Nina.
She added: "I was very shocked. I haven't even shown this map to my son. How can I explain to him why our country is divided in this way in this book?"
The atlas that Nina purchased is a product of the German publishing house Kunth and was released in 2023. In this atlas, five regions of Ukraine - Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Donetsk, Luhansk, and Crimea - are marked with a dotted line as territories with a "disputed state border." The entire eastern border with Russia, including the Donbas and Crimea, is also marked with the same label.
