Title: 240,000 Ukrainian children start school under Russian air strikes

Around 240,000 Ukrainian children entered first grade this week, a 10% drop from last year. The new school year began with Russian air attacks interrupting lessons on the first day. For many students, the classroom will not be a physical one. About 200,000 children living near the front lines will study entirely online. This means they will learn from home or shelters, away from their teachers and classmates. The start of the school year is a key moment in any country. In Ukraine, it is also a measure of the war’s long-term cost. Fewer children entering school today points to families displaced, killed, or living abroad. The air attacks on the first day sent a clear message: the conflict is not pausing for education. Schools are adapting, but the disruption is real. For those 200,000 students, the sound of a school bell is replaced by the sound of an air-raid siren.