Key facts at a glance
-
Total projects: 11 underground schools across Sumy region
-
First phase: 4 schools in Sumy city
-
Capacity per site: ≈ 500 students (up to 2,000 children in the city)
-
Budget for flagship project: UAH 117 million (state + local funds)
-
Target launch: Start of the 2025–2026 academic year
-
Lead agencies: Cabinet of Ministers, State Agency for Infrastructure Restoration & Development, Sumy Regional Military Administration
Why underground schools?
Since February 2022, Russia’s frequent missile and drone strikes have forced thousands of Ukrainian pupils to learn online. Sumy region, located near the border, remains a high-risk area. Building fully equipped subterranean schools solves three problems at once:
-
Continuous in-person education without constant air-raid disruptions.
-
Comprehensive safety thanks to reinforced shelters that meet civil-defence standards.
-
Psychological stability for children, parents and teachers.
What’s inside an underground school?
-
Modern classrooms with ventilation, heating and backup power
-
Separate zones for STEM, languages and creative subjects
-
Dining hall, sanitation blocks, medical point
-
Accessible entrances and emergency exits
-
Fibre-optic internet, interactive boards and hybrid-learning systems
-
Above-ground green areas and sports grounds (where security allows)
Funding & timeline
The pilot facility—currently under construction in Sumy—is financed by UAH 117 million from combined state and municipal budgets. Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal confirmed that all four city projects will be completed by September 2025. The remaining seven across the region will follow under an accelerated procedure the government is preparing with local authorities.
Perspectives from Kyiv
“The safety of the educational process is our key priority. These shelters will let children study face-to-face in comfortable conditions,” Denys Shmyhal, Prime Minister of Ukraine.
State Restoration Agency head Serhii Sukhomlyn added that a simplified approval mechanism is in the works to help smaller villages and towns replicate the model with reduced paperwork.
What’s next?
-
Project replication: Templates and cost-saving design standards will be shared nationwide.
-
Community involvement: Local businesses and NGOs are encouraged to co-finance equipment and extracurricular zones.
-
Long-term goal: Ensure every frontline oblast has at least one fully operational underground school by 2027.
