Ukraine's new school year opens with 10% fewer first-graders, Russian strike disrupts lessons

Ukraine marked its traditional Knowledge Day on September 1, the start of the new school year, though celebrations were overshadowed this year by a Russian air attack that interrupted classes shortly after they began.

Around 240,000 children entered first grade across the country, a figure that is 10% lower than the number recorded last year. The decline reflects the broader demographic toll of the prolonged war, as many families with young children have left the country or relocated to safer regions since the full-scale invasion began.

Online-only classes near the front

For roughly 200,000 students living in areas close to the front line, the new school year will take place entirely online. Remote learning remains the only viable option in communities where shelling and missile threats make in-person schooling too dangerous.

Attack mars the first day

The first day of the school year was disrupted when Russian forces carried out an air attack, forcing lessons to stop shortly after students returned to classrooms. The incident underscored how the war continues to directly affect daily life in Ukraine, including education, even on a day traditionally marked by celebration.