Overview

• On September 1, pupils in frontline regions returned to in-person lessons held below ground to reduce exposure to Russian attacks.
• Kharkiv reports about 17,000 children studying in underground schools, with seven sites operating now and additional locations due to open.
• The city has converted six metro stations into classrooms, and one large underground school enrolls roughly 1,500 students three floors down.
• In Bobryk, Sumy region, the local school moved into a refurbished basement two years ago with ventilation, electricity, and new flooring to allow uninterrupted classes during air-raid alerts.
• Limited space forces split schedules and shortened breaks, attendance has thinned in some communities, and some families are leaving the country despite many preferring in-person classes below ground.