Girls had ribbons woven into their hair, boys wore traditional embroidered shirts. Some clutched bunches of flowers to give to teachers, posing for pictures with their families before entering classrooms. This was Knowledge Day last week, an important moment for three million Ukrainian children marking start of their school year. But in the capital city of Kyiv, many pupils – after sleepless nights during five consecutive days of air raids – had to rush straight down to shelters in their first lesson as the sirens wailed again. In other cities, kids entered new schools built underground. Many more simply stared at screens, since about one in six of this brave but blighted nation’s schools must teach online.
Such is the grim reality for Ukrainians. As the full-scale war stretches into its fifth school year, these children try to learn while their homes and towns are targeted by bombs, drones and missiles. For these innocent victims of Russian hatred – including the 240,000 six-year-olds starting school, 10 per cent fewer than last year – this hell is the hideous backdrop to their young lives. Many have fathers or mothers fighting on the frontline; others have had relatives killed or maimed by the Kremlin. All must endure the terrible stresses of living in the shadow of war. Yet, as autumn arrives again – with a fresh round of peace talks pushed by the weak White House envoys – their agonies are only deepening as this grotesque struggle in the heart of Europe spirals into further intensity.
