Children go underground as Ukraine starts new school year under constant Russian fire

Key Points:

• Due to frequent Russian air raids in Kyiv, the Ukrainian Global School has moved classes to the basement to avoid interruptions and ensure student safety during attacks.
• Kyiv has experienced intense and continuous aerial attacks recently, with air raid alerts sounding 60 times over several days, resulting in at least 53 deaths and over 100 injuries.
• Many Ukrainian children have never experienced normal schooling due to the combined impacts of the war and the Covid-19 pandemic, with younger students starting school amid ongoing conflict and threats.
• The war has caused significant displacement, with over 1.8 million Ukrainian children living abroad and many more internally displaced, leading to fewer students attending schools nationwide compared to pre-war numbers.
• Families like Nadiia Andrianova’s have relocated to safer parts of Ukraine due to deteriorating security, highlighting the emotional and practical challenges faced by children and parents amid continuous missile attacks.