Ukraine's children go underground at the country's first fully subterranean school

Record ID: 1814979

  • Title: Ukraine's children go underground at the country's first fully subterranean school
  • Date: 13th May 2024
  • Summary: KHARKIV, UKRAINE (MAY 13, 2024) (REUTERS) MOTHER AND CHILD RUSHING TO SCHOOL ENTRANCE TO SCHOOL MOTHER AND CHILD RUNNING DOWNSTAIRS CHILDREN WALKING TO CLASSROOMS FIRST SCHOOL BELL RINGING CHILDREN IN CLASSROOM TEACHER, CHILDREN BOY ANSWERING TEACHER'S QUESTION VARIOUS OF CHILDREN WRITING IN EXERCISE BOOKS SECURITY GUARD VARIOUS CHILDREN PLAYING IN CLASSROOM SCHOOL CATERIN
  • Embargoed: 27th May 2024 16:55
  • Keywords: Kharkiv Russian attacks Ukraine air raid children purpose-built underground school
  • Location: KHARKIV, UKRAINE
  • City: KHARKIV, UKRAINE
  • Country: Ukraine
  • Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Europe,Military Conflicts
  • Reuters ID: LVA001213213052024RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:Ukraine's first purpose-built underground school opened its doors to children in Kharkiv, the country's second biggest city on Monday (May 13).
    Located six meters underground, the school is designed to accomodate 900 students who will be taught in two shifts.
    Teachers and parents hope the "bunker school" will shield children from daily missile and drone attacks and allow for uninterrupted educational activities during school day.
    Kharkiv is frequently targeted by Russian missiles, drones and artillery. Faced with the constant threat of attacks schools in the region of around 2.5 million people, which borders Russia, were forced into online learning after the Kremlin's February 2022 invasion.
    Marina Prikhodko, a mother of two, said her children were eagerly awaiting the first day at school.
    "My elder daugther, a third grader could hardly wait to come here, dress up for the occasion, meet her friends that she missed very much," she said.
    "For my son, who is a first grader it is like a festive day, a chance to meet his class mates in real life, not online, play with them," she added.
    The heavily fortified underground school, designed to withstand direct hits and equipped with everything necessary for the learning process will allow children to safely return to in-person studies, Kharkiv mayor , Ihor Terekhov said.
    He added that city authorities were planning to construct at least three more underground schools.
    (Production: Vitalii Hnidyi, Anna Dabrowska)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2024. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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