In Kyiv, the Russian invasion has further disrupted an already volatile education climate. Now, schools and districts are grappling with a new, dangerous reality of constant air quality alerts. Tim Hryshchuk attending online classes from Kyiv Gymnasium of Oriental Languages 1. In anticipation of these trends, the gymnasium has proactively implemented creative solutions. One school has turned their shelters into emergency classrooms, so that learning can go on even with the bombs falling from above. This adaptation reflects a broader trend in Ukrainian education as institutions strive to maintain a semblance of normalcy during turbulent times.
Since the Russian invasion began in February 2022, the City of Kyiv has experienced more than 1,800 air alerts. This has led to over 2,200 hours of unnecessary alarm time for the city’s residents. While these alerts were probably meant to make both students’ and teachers’ lives safer, they’ve completely upended everyday life for everyone. At the Kyiv Gymnasium of Oriental Languages 1, the school’s shelter is large enough to accommodate 700 students in need of protection. When an alert is triggered, they can all get to safety in only six minutes. Deputy principal Liudmyla Andruk emphasizes the importance of prioritizing both the physical safety and mental well-being of every child in her care.
Innovative Safety Measures in Education
In Kyiv, where air alerts are a daily occurrence, residents quickly learned to adapt to the sound. Schools such as the Kyiv Gymnasium of Oriental Languages 1 are countering by creating strict safety plans. These precautions involve turning shelters into classrooms so students can stay in school and stay protected. Andruk points out that each child’s emotional basket is filled very differently.
“Each child is different; some have allergies, some phobias, some find it difficult to sit in a shelter for hours,” – Liudmyla Andruk.
To meet such complex needs, the school uses multiple approaches during extended alerts. If an alert is for a long time, teachers keep students occupied in the shelter with games, stories, and videos. Even after all these efforts, Andruk admits that transitioning back to classroom activities after such experiences is difficult.
“If the alert lasts for hours, we play games, let students chat, tell stories, or show videos. Still, they return exhausted, and it’s hard to get them focused once class resumes,” – Liudmyla Andruk.
The creativity and resilience displayed by educators like Andruk underscore the determination to provide a stable learning environment amidst chaos.
Community Response to Ongoing Threats
The wider community of the global open source has answered the call to defend against the assault of Russia’s military tactics. Civilians getting together in units to take down larger swarms of smaller drones using machine guns, or possibly even smaller interceptor-drones. Locations such as Lavina Mall can accommodate tens of thousands of guests at peak times. On super nights, that audience can swell to 20,000 fans! The largeness and intensity of this concentration of individuals makes it extremely difficult to meet the air alert day challenge.
Dmytro Lashyn, who tracks community feedback for the project, unpacks how residents’ attitudes shifted over time.
“Most people are now so used to alerts that they don’t move fast. We’ve had to increase security staff to guide people and make sure they follow evacuation routes,” – Dmytro Lashyn.
The prevalence of air alerts has shifted public perception and daily routines. Many people now live with a sense of urgency, often questioning what tomorrow may bring.
“Our surveys show that people are living one day at a time. Many ask themselves, ‘Why should I deny myself something? Maybe tomorrow I won’t be in this world anymore because my house will be destroyed by a missile,’” – Dmytro Lashyn.
This way of thinking is a grim testament to the psychological impact of ever-persistent war on the country’s civilian populace.
The Impact of Military Strategy
Russia’s military actions have increased significantly in severity. In April, we saw reports of over 800 drones launched and 13 missile strikes in one night, including one with civilian casualties. Christina Harward is an intelligence analyst at the Institute for the Study of War. She explains that these attacks are not just for physical destruction, but for strategic purposes.
“These massive strikes send the same message that (Russian President Vladimir) Putin and other high-ranking Kremlin officials have been indicating publicly and repeatedly in the past few months – that Russia is not interested in negotiations or stopping its war,” – Christina Harward.
This relentless aggression continues to threaten lives and severely impacts housing, education, and the economy in Ukraine as well. Film producer Oleksiy Komarovsky, who has been intimately affected by the change, has observed a trend in how movies are rated according to air raid alerts.
“If people come back to finish the film after a long interruption, then the movie is really good,” – Oleksiy Komarovsky.
It’s a testimony to how the war is politically shifting cultural spaces and social mores.
