Back to school in Ukraine

For many children in Europe, the first of September is somewhat special because officially the new school year sets off and many children are happy to see their friends again on a more regular basis.

Though police in Kyiv, Chernivtsi, and Poltava said they had received information on the possible mining of educational institutions on Sept. 1, the first day of the new school year, this did not stop schools from inviting children to come to their place to celebrate together in peace “Day of Knowledge”.

Over the past day up to September 1, Ukrainian artillery units carried out 1,186 fire missions on the Tavriia axis. 45 Russian occupiers were eliminated, and 135 more were wounded. In addition, Ukrainian defenders destroyed 15 units of enemy military equipment, 6 enemy ammunition depots, and one Russian command post. – Oleksandr Tarnavskyi, Commander of “Tavriia” operational-strategic group of troops

Total combat losses of Russian aggressors in Ukraine from 24 February 2022 to 01 September 2023 (approximation): 263490 troops; 4459 tanks; 8613 armoured vehicles; 5530 artillery systems; 735 MLRS; 500 anti-aircraft warfare systems; 315 aircraft; 316 helicopters; 8009 military auto vehicles and fuel tanks; 18 military boats; 4421 tactical UAVs; 831 special military equipment; 1445 cruise missiles. – General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Russian troops shelled the town of Seredyna-Buda in Sumy Oblast on Sept. 1, wounding four residents, the Prosecutor General’s Office wrote on Telegram. Plus, on September 1, Ukrainian defenders shot down 1 out of 2 cruise missiles “Kalibr” used by Russian troops to attack Ukraine. – Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Poland on Sept. 1 refuted the claims of Belarus’s border guards that a Polish military helicopter crossed into Belarusian airspace. Polish armed forces speaker Jacek Goryshevsky said an investigation of pilot reports and radio tracking data shows no such violation. He called it a “lie and provocation.”

Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, 503 Ukrainian children have been killed, 1,117 children have been injured. Most victims among children are from the Donetsk region. Moreover, Russia has forcibly deported more than 19,500 Ukrainian children. At the same time, as of September 1, due to Russian military aggression, more than 2,700 educational institutions were destroyed. – Prosecutor General’s Office.

In the afternoon of September the first 11 Ukrainian children have been returned home after Russia deported them to the temporarily occupied territory of the Kherson region.

For the opening of schools many pupils with their mothers turned up showing they still believe in their strength, wanting to stand strong and to defend our common values in unity.

In unity! Those who remain united and do not lose strength win.

Ukrainians will never give up their country to the enemy and will never leave their land. One way Russians might think to destroy our community is to strike weak and young people, targeting hospitals and schools. Even though hundreds of our villages and dozens of cities have been burned by Russian artillery and air strikes, Ukrainians are able to bring them back to life. It is not in the habit of our people to leave unhealed wounds on their land.

Holiday of First Ring for the 1st grades in the Kharkiv metro station

Ringing the bells for the Holiday of the First Ring at Kharkiv metro station

For this schoolyear enough measures were taken that no parent should have to worry about their child at school, because there is a shelter, a safe place that guarantees protection. For every mother to know that in her community, in her city, the security infrastructure is so well-organised that any terrorist – whether a state like Russia or a terrorist organisation – will definitely lose to the existing security system, makes us look forward with hopes for a better school year than the last one.

Ukraine September 1 The Holiday of First Ring or Day of knowledge

The “Holiday of First Ring” or the “First Bell Holiday” is celebrated in Ukraine and some other countries, including the CIS and coincides with the start of the school year. On this day, first-graders celebrate and schools bring all children to gather at the main square or stadium of the school, making them feel united, being part of one great nation, willing to be the ones learning new things and becoming wiser.

It is customary to give flowers to our teachers on this day. Secondary specialised and higher education institutions usually do without line-ups or organise line-ups only for the first year students. Schools hold the first-holiday lesson, which has different themes every year, after which organisational issues are usually resolved – sometimes the distribution of textbooks, first-graders are assigned seats at their desks, and the school day ends.

Since the war Vyshyvanka or Ukrainian embroidery has found its way back, in exchange of the previous USSR uniform, and other national symbols also became extremely popular in Ukraine following Euromaidan, including in LGBT+ communities signalling their belonging to the nation.

It is nice to see how the embroidered shirt gained in popularity since the outbreak of the Russian invasion, bringing a statement that through the terribleness and blackness of the war, we keep our white of innocence and colours of gladness and life. For many, there is also the idea that Vyshyvanka can be used as their talisman to protect the person (in this instance against the Russians) wearing it and to tell a story.

Ukrainian children singing on the Day of the first ring = Day of knowledge

Ukrainian victims of war stand in Ukrainian school

In several schools, there have been placed remembrance plates, or boards, for the many Ukrainian victims of war. The opening day of school was an important occasion to remember all the fallen ones in the battle, but also all the innocent people who found death under Russian bombardments. As an attribution to the heroes of this horrible war, previous students of the school who died for their country got their name memorised by the rename of the school.

More than ever, pupils found it important to be clothed in nice uniforms and to bring flowers to their teachers who have done their best to continue providing education to the nation.

All over Ukraine the first bell was rung, followed by speeches and parades.

For many, the end of the schoolyear 2022-2023 could not succeed in good order. Several youngsters had fled their regions and could not celebrate the event of the Last Bell, marking the end of the school year for students, especially 9th and 12th grade students who were graduating from elementary or high school that year. An additional two million children are estimated to be living outside Ukraine and will either log on remotely for schooling with Ukrainian teachers or try to integrate into new schools with classes taught in foreign tongues. But for this year, most Ukrainians do hope everything will find its normal procedures again.

However, Ukrainian teachers in the Russian-occupied and annexed territories will be presented with a fait accompli this school year. They simply have no choice in what to tell their students about their country. Willingly or not, they will have to accept and use the school materials imposed by the Russian government. So, this coming school year, they will have to present the historiography falsified by the Russians to their students as the truth about their nation.