In Ukraine, 365 educational institutions have been destroyed since the beginning of the full-scale invasion

Since the Russian Federation invaded Ukraine in 2014, the education sector in the country has suffered significant losses and damages

Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022, about 3,500 educational institutions in Ukraine have been damaged, and 365 have been completely destroyed. This is stated in the report of the international organization Human Right Watch, which is engaged in the protection of human rights.

The report indicates that the Russians often used schools and kindergartens to park equipment, house soldiers (instead of a hospital) and house civilians.

Since the Russian Federation invaded Ukraine in 2014, the education sector in the country has suffered significant losses and damages. The full-scale Russian invasion on February 24, 2022 greatly increased the damage and destruction of schools and kindergartens.

The Government of Ukraine reported that from February 2022 to October 2023, 3,428 educational institutions were damaged and 365 were destroyed. The attacks have had a devastating impact on Ukrainian children’s access to education during the war and likely long after, as repairing and reconstructing schools will require significant resources and time.

The educational sphere was affected in different regions of Ukraine. The report of the organization states:

For example, when the Russian military seized a school in Borodyanka, Kyiv region, in March 2022, they used the school building as a base and for shelling Ukrainian forces. Human Rights Watch researchers who visited the school in June 2022 saw extensive damage caused by Ukrainian retaliatory fire, including two direct hits, one of which caused a fire that further damaged the school. Russian military left anti-Ukrainian graffiti on classroom walls and a flag with a Nazi swastika and used the gym for shooting.