UNICEF renews call for protection of schools in Ukraine amid ‘deadly reality’ of attacks

John Marks, interim UNICEF The representative in Ukraine has made a fresh call for protecting schools as the war continues.

“During the first week of the new school year, educational facilities in the regions including Dnipro, Kryvyi Rih, Kyiv, Lviv and Sumy were reported to have been damaged in attacks,” he said. speak.

“Evacuation across areas near the frontline is also taking place as education is once again disrupted as children are forced to flee their homes.”

Young lives cut short

Mr Marks’ statement focused on the deaths of three sisters.

Emilia, seven, along with Dariia, 18, and Yaryna, 21, were killed along with their mother in an attack in the western city of Lviv on September 4. Their father was injured.

The family was among several reported casualties, including children.

Mr Marks said all three sisters were just starting out in life.

Although Emilia was present for the first few days of school, “sadly she did not return on the third day,” he said.

The eldest sister, Yaryna, found a job at the Lviv – European Youth Capital 2025 organization after graduating. The organization is a UNICEF partner and works to empower young people through life skills training.

“This tragic story reflects the reality for children and young people across Ukraine today as attacks continue to occur in densely populated areas,” he said.

The number of deaths increased

Russian missile and bomb attacks since August 26 have caused massive damage across the country, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (Human Resources) speak on Friday.

Investigators have established that the attacks on government-controlled areas killed 64 civilians and injured 392, in addition to causing significant damage and destruction to civilian property and vital infrastructure.

This figure includes children, of whom six died and 43 were injured.

The high casualty toll follows a recent sharp increase in civilian deaths and injuries. In August alone, 184 people were killed and 856 were injured – the second highest monthly casualty toll this year, after July.

Targeted electricity infrastructure

Danielle Bell, Head of HRMMU, noted that “targeted attacks on Ukraine’s electricity infrastructure have once again caused prolonged power outages across the country while recent attacks have destroyed or damaged hospitals, schools, supermarkets and critical energy infrastructure.”

On August 26, Russian armed forces launched one of the largest coordinated air attacks across Ukraine since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022, the HRMMU said. Eight civilians were killed and at least 23 injured, while at least 25 energy facilities in 15 regions were damaged.

Additionally, on August 30, aerial bombing of four districts of the city of Kharkiv killed six civilians and injured at least 44. The following day, Kharkiv was attacked again with multiple rockets, killing one medical worker and injuring at least 11 civilians.

In addition, seven civilians were killed in a September 4 attack in Lviv that killed three sisters and their mother. Sixty-two others were injured and three schools were also damaged. The HRMMU said this was the first civilian casualty there since February 2024.

Russian occupied area

UN investigators also recorded reports of civilian casualties in Russian-occupied territories and in Russia itself.

For example, on September 4, an attack occurred at a market in the city of Donetsk, killing four civilians, including two children, and injuring seven others.

Another attack in the Russian city of Belgorod on August 30 left five people dead and dozens injured, according to local reports, but the HRMMU has not yet been able to verify the figures.

Education is under criticism

On Monday, UNICEF reported The first day of school in Ukraine was marred by deadly attacks and vandalism.

Children in the capital Kyiv were woken up by loud explosions, several schools are said to have been damaged.

According to local authorities, before the start of the school year, educational facilities in the Kherson region and the city of Sumy were damaged, injuring six children.

Reports also indicate that one child was killed and 29 others were injured in deadly attacks in Kharkiv on August 30 and September 1.

Lives lost, learning interrupted

Since Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, more than 2,180 children have been killed or injured, and more than 1,300 educational facilities have been damaged or destroyed, UNICEF said, although the actual figure could be higher.

Boys and girls are entering their fifth year of disrupted learning, with the escalation of the war now entering its third year after COVID-19 pandemic and they are showing signs of widespread knowledge loss.

UNICEF said data from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) conducted in 2022 and released in late 2023 showed the scale of the learning gap seen in 2022 compared to 2018 was equivalent to two years of reading loss and one year of maths loss.

Protecting education from attack

Mr. Marks recalled that September 9 would mark the fourth time International Day to Protect Education from Attack.

The day was established by a unanimous decision of the United Nations General Assembly, calling on both the educational and cultural agencies of the United Nations, UNESCOand UNICEF to raise awareness about the situation of millions of children living in countries affected by conflict.

“We take this opportunity to once again call for the protection of educational facilities from attack, urge the parties not to use educational facilities for military purposes and respect, protect and ensure the right to education for children across Ukraine,” he said.

“Schools must be safe and provide nurturing learning environments for every child to thrive and succeed.”

Children playing at a UNESCO summer camp in Ukraine

‘Children in Ukraine have suffered enough’

Meanwhile, UNICEF continues to work with the Government of Ukraine and partners to help children continue learning, support their mental health and maintain some of the hallmarks of childhood.

Activities include renovating shelters in schools and kindergartens, providing learning materials and equipment, organizing remedial education classes and equipping teachers with skills to support students’ mental health and psychosocial well-being.

In addition, transit centers and mobile teams of psychologists and social workers are also supporting children and families being evacuated from frontline areas, thus helping children cope better and continue learning in new locations.

“Children in Ukraine have suffered enough; they must be protected from attacks,” said Mr. Marks. “Like Emilia, all they want is to go to school, learn, play and be children again.”