Ukraine Builds Underground School To Weather Russian Attacks

The Ukrainian city of Kharkiv has opened an underground school in a bunker amid renewed Russian attacks on the region.

Transcript

00:00 It's the first day of classes at this newly opened school in the eastern Ukrainian city

00:08 of Kharkiv.

00:09 Hundreds of students fill its halls.

00:12 For some, it's the first time they've set foot in a physical school at all.

00:24 Kharkiv was one of the early targets of Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, forcing the city's

00:32 schools to go online.

00:34 In recent days, Russia has launched a new offensive on the surrounding region.

00:42 But this is a school built for wartime.

00:45 It's six meters underground and designed to take direct hits from the frequent Russian

00:49 missile and drone attacks on the city.

00:53 Inside, there's everything students need to learn, grow and play.

01:03 The mayor says the city has a plan for how these kinds of schools will function.

01:07 "As I said, this school is designed for 450 students in one shift.

01:12 In two shifts, we will have the opportunity to teach 900 students.

01:17 At first, we will start with 300-350 students, then we will increase the pace, because we

01:29 need teachers to get used to it, children to get used to it, and to be able to do everything.

01:36 I think that from the first of September, it will be fully operational."

01:43 The city hopes to build at least three more bunker schools like this one.

01:47 And though it's early days yet, the headmaster is pleased with what he sees so far.

01:51 "The sky and the ground.

01:53 Unfortunately, you know that in most educational institutions there are no normal shelters.

01:59 We have just basements, basements that are not at all adapted to the educational process.

02:04 And this building is adapted to provide quality educational services and not just educational

02:10 services."

02:13 And what about the children?

02:15 Mother Marina Prikova has two kids here.

02:19 Nine-year-old Masha, who dressed up for the school's opening.

02:22 And six-year-old Oleksii, who is meeting his classmates in person for the first time.

02:28 She says even in wartime, it's important to give the kids as normal a life as possible.

02:33 "Yes, it's worrying.

02:35 Of course, it's very worrying.

02:37 But I understand that no matter what happens, life goes on.

02:41 And we have to try to live here and now and every day."

02:48 Though there's no end in sight to this now three-year-long war, this region of Ukraine

02:55 is taking a longer view and investing in what it hopes will be a happy, healthy post-war

03:00 generation.

03:01 Dolphine Chen, John Van Triest and Harrell Hughes for Taiwan Plus.

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