Russian drone strikes Kyiv school, but shelter use prevents injuries

A Russian drone struck a school building in Kyiv on Thursday, causing significant structural damage including shattered windows and a partially destroyed wall. The moment of impact was captured on CCTV footage.

Despite the severity of the damage, no casualties were reported. Ukrainian officials and the school's headteacher confirmed that students and teachers were safely sheltering at the time of the strike, having moved to designated shelter classrooms as soon as an air raid alert sounded.

According to officials, 104 children had arrived at School 12 that day. They were already in the shelter, continuing their lessons there, when the drone hit the building, which is why none of them were harmed.

Headteacher's reaction

Valentyna Chorna, the headteacher of School 12, said after the incident that the attackers spare no one, including children. She said children represent the nation's future, and that destroying a nation requires destroying its children.

The strike adds to a long list of attacks in which Russian forces have hit civilian infrastructure in Ukrainian cities, including educational facilities. The incident underscores the importance of prompt shelter use following air raid alerts in preventing casualties from such attacks.