The article addresses the controversy surrounding Poekhali! (“Let’s go!”), a popular Russian-language textbook that was condemned by a prominent Russian Parliament member from the pro-Putin United Russia Party for “creating a distorted image of Russia,” “trying to ruin the country’s reputation abroad,” and even “killing the soul.” Several issues make the case noteworthy: the attempt of censorship here was targeted at foreign readers, not Russian citizens; the case demonstrates how language is made “an essential matter of state security” to justify censorship and strict language policies; and the incident demonstrates how censorship can be disguised as a defense of social groups and their reputation. The article also argues that proponents of censorship often act based on superficial observations, with little regard for meaning and context.