Ukraine's first underground preschool has opened in the Kharkiv region
In the Pisochyn community of Kharkiv Oblast, Ukraine’s first underground preschool, “Mobil,” has opened.
"The new educational facility is designed to accommodate 260 children and allows for a full educational program to be conducted in person even during air raid alerts. The underground facility is equipped with eight classrooms, a medical station, a dining room, restrooms, and showers. The shelter is self-sufficient thanks to two independent power sources and backup generators,” the statement reads.
The shelter is connected to the school buildings via secure passageways. This allows children and staff to reach the shelter without having to go outside.
Special attention was paid to creating a barrier-free environment. The facility has been equipped with elevators, lifts, and barrier-free routes, and all necessary conditions have been created for children with disabilities and other people with limited mobility.
As the Ministry of Education and Science noted, in 2026 the government allocated separate funding for the first time to equip shelters in preschool education facilities. Specifically, this funding is intended to support communities facing the highest security risks.
The underground preschool was built through co-financing from the state, regional, and local budgets. In 2026, a state subsidy was allocated for the first time to equip shelters in preschool education facilities. The total funding amounts to over 972 million hryvnias.
Currently, projects are being implemented in nine regions of Ukraine: Vinnytsia, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kyiv, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Sumy, Kharkiv, and Kherson. During the project selection process, priority was given to communities facing the highest security risks—particularly in frontline regions—as well as to facilities where construction work had already begun.
The construction and renovation of shelters in preschool education facilities are being carried out by local communities with financial support from the European Union as part of the Ukraine Facility initiative.
This was reported by the Ministry of Education and Science.
In Kyiv, parents will be able to check waitlists and available spots in preschools online.
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