Ukrainian military school graduation: from boys to warriors
A military school in western Ukraine held a graduation ceremony for 136 cadets, who combine academic studies with military training. Many graduates will continue their service in the army, as the war has reshaped their life plans.
A military school in western Ukraine, home to about 400 cadets from across the country, recently celebrated the graduation of 136 cadets. While on paper it resembles any other high school with subjects like mathematics, physics, English, and history, daily life here is markedly different. Military drills, tactical exercises, and drone training are part of the curriculum, taught by both civilian teachers and military officers.
“They go from boys to men to warriors here,” says the deputy head, Taras Hrytsevych. Heavy clouds hang above the schoolyard as 136 graduating cadets march in white uniforms. Parents, other family members, and friends line the edge of the square, scanning the formation for familiar faces.
Among the graduates is 17-year-old Zakhar Yanov, who traveled nearly 900 kilometers from his home in Dnipro to attend the school. After the summer, he will move to Odesa to begin studies at a military academy. “It’s my duty to defend Ukraine,” he says. “I want to join the airborne forces.”
Since 2024, the school has also admitted girls. Among the cadets is Kateryna Sheremeta, 16, from the Volyn region. She will attend the National Academy of the State Border Guard Service in Khmelnytskyi to become a border guard officer. “Before the war [with Russia], I thought about working with something creative, such as becoming an architect or a designer,” she says. “But after the invasion, I realised this is where I belong.” Her father served in the military during the early stages of the invasion, and both of her brothers have also served. One of them was only 25 when he was killed in January this year.
For years, many of the cadets have shared dormitories, classrooms, and early morning drills with the same group of classmates. After the parade, they hug parents they have not seen for weeks or months and pose for one last photograph with their teachers and friends. Within days, many will submit applications to military academies. Others will leave for universities or civilian careers. The dormitories that have been their home will stand empty until a new class arrives in September.
