Russian shelling has damaged more than 4,500 educational institutions, and 423 have been completely destroyed
Since the start of the full-scale war in Ukraine, 4,650 educational institutions have been damaged as a result of Russian shelling, and another 423 have been completely destroyed.
“During the full-scale war, 4,650 educational institutions have been damaged by Russian shelling, and 423 have been completely destroyed. That’s thousands of classrooms, lecture halls, laboratories, and spaces where Ukrainian children and youth were supposed to study,” Lubinets wrote.
According to Lubinets, in 2026 alone, the Ombudsman’s Office received 644 complaints related to issues in the field of education.
Among the issues raised were access to education, child safety, admissions, distance learning, the reorganization of educational institutions, bullying, and discrimination.
The Ombudsman emphasized that, amid a full-scale war, the issue is not only the start of the new school year but also the need to ensure that children have a genuine right to education.
“That is why today we are not just talking about the start of the school year. We are talking about what Ukrainian education should look like in wartime and what needs to be done to ensure that the right to education remains a reality for every child,” Lubinets emphasized.
Thus, Russian aggression continues to directly impact the educational infrastructure and Ukrainian children’s access to schooling. Restoring damaged schools, ensuring the safety of students and teachers, and guaranteeing the continuity of education remain among the key challenges amid the war.
This was reported by Dmytro Lubinets, the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights, on Telegram.
