With International Support, Ukraine Opens An Underground School in Odesa Region
Ukraine has launched an underground school in the village of Molodizhne, Odesa region, offering both shelter and uninterrupted education to students amid continued Russian attacks.
The Gaze reports on this with reference to Ukrainian media.
The facility, designed to accommodate up to 700 people, was officially opened on April 24 and marks a significant milestone in efforts to protect and educate children during wartime. Previously, during air raids, pupils had to take refuge in a nearby kindergarten’s shelter.
Funded by the European Union and co-financed by the Irish government, the project received a total of €2.4 million, including €75,000 allocated for interior equipment. The initiative is part of a broader EU program to support education in war-affected areas of Ukraine.
Distinguished guests attended the opening, including Ukraine’s Minister of Education and Science Oksen Lisovyi, Ireland’s Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence Thomas Byrne, Lithuania’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sigitas Mitkus, and EU Cooperation Programs Head in Ukraine Stefan Schleuning.
The new facility is more than just a shelter – it houses fully equipped classrooms, two sports halls, a psychological relief room, and a rehabilitation space. Importantly, it includes an elevator for students with limited mobility. Currently, 14 children with special needs attend the school, one of whom uses a wheelchair.
Minister Lisovyi emphasized the broader significance of such shelters: “These spaces protect Ukraine’s most valuable asset – its human capital.” He highlighted that nearly one in seven schools in Ukraine has been damaged or destroyed due to Russia’s full-scale invasion, leaving around 430,000 students without access to in-person education.
He also pointed out that similar projects are being implemented in other frontline regions, including Mykolaiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Chernihiv.
Lithuanian Deputy Minister Mitkus reaffirmed his country’s solidarity with Ukraine, citing over €1.6 billion in military aid and €52 million in civilian support. He also expressed Lithuania’s commitment to Ukraine’s EU membership aspirations by 2030.
“We are investing in our shared future. With support from the Irish government and the EU, we will install a solar-powered station to guarantee an uninterrupted power supply. This shelter is also a creative space – a hub for education, community, and resilience,” said Mitkus.
Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, the EU has allocated over €200 million to support Ukraine’s education sector, funding reconstruction, school buses, textbooks, and more.
The “New Shelters for Ukrainian Schools” initiative is backed by €15 million from the EU, €3 million from Ireland, and €500,000 from Lithuania. Additional shelters are planned for other high-risk regions, each capable of protecting 500 to 1,000 people. The project is coordinated with Ukraine’s Ministry of Education and Science.
As The Gaze reported previously, Finland also allocated over €20 million to support Ukrainian education.