Rebuilding Ukraine: largest underground school under construction in Kyiv’s Dniprovskyi district

In the Dniprovskyi district of Kyiv, the largest anti-radiation shelter in the city is being built. More than a thousand students will be able to study and stay at the same time. It should be completed in six months.

Suspilne reports this.

What is the problem?

According to sources, constructing an anti-radiation shelter is essential, as the nearest bomb shelter to the lyceum is located in a neighboring school over 500 meters away.

"Air raid alarms disrupt our classes, and the extended time it takes to reach the shelter makes it even more troublesome for us," 10th-grade student Roman Kudria says.

What is the solution?

Therefore, last September, construction of the largest underground school in the city began on the territory of the educational complex No. 183 Fortuna Lyceum. In June 2024, an auction was held to construct an anti-radiation shelter.

How does it work?

The shelter is designed for 1,300 students. According to Tetiana Minko, the director of the Fortuna Lyceum, this will be the largest underground school in Kyiv.

"It's tough to see when children are running, and from above, a rocket flying is shattering the atmosphere, and there is a very loud roar. And the children run to their shelter, looking at the sky. All conditions will be created here (in the shelter – ed.).

Here, they will not just study—here you can live, here you can sleep. The entire cycle of a person's stay and life will be fully provided here. It is zoned for junior high school, middle school, and high school," the head of the educational institution says.

According to the tender, the following tasks are to be undertaken:

• conduct dismantling works;
• install concrete structures and equipment;
• equip water supply, sewage, heating, and ventilation systems;
• construct the largest radiation shelter in Kyiv.

Fire alarms, smoke removal, and evacuation control systems will also be installed. In addition to classrooms, there will be:

• a dining room,
• a first aid station,
• restrooms,
• leisure rooms.

The director adds that when the war is over, extracurricular activities will be held in the underground school building.

These are sports clubs, competitions, and exhibitions. According to her, 32 percent of the work on the construction, which is being carried out at the expense of the city budget, has been completed. It is planned to be completed in September of this year.

For reference:

It is worth noting that the fourth underground school in the region has already been inaugurated in the village of Balabyne, near Zaporizhzhia. This modern educational facility is designed to accommodate 1,000 students, who can study in two shifts.

Also, an anti-radiation shelter was repaired in Kharkiv. 345 schoolchildren and 45 city students can study in this space.