More than 3.6 million children from Ukraine, including 400,000 displaced abroad, they go back to school today for the second year since Russia invaded their country, according to data provided by the Ukrainian presidency.

“The second September 1st after the full-scale invasion. The Russians are trying to do everything to destroy our nation (…) The nation has preserved the ability of children to go to Ukrainian schools,” the Ukrainian president’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, wrote on Telegram today.

For this start of the school year “3,623,169 children attend our schools”of which the 400,000 abroad that “they remain in our education system”he clarified.

The lessons will be given in person for 44.9% of the students, remotely for 24.4% and according to a mixed system for 30.7%, he clarified.

According to him, 3,750 schools have been destroyed “by Russian missiles and bombs” since the start of the conflict in February 2022.

As the fighting rages in the east and south of the country, major cities far from the front line regularly suffer Russian missile attacks or drone strikes.

The capital Kyiv was again the target of a “massive” attack on Wednesday morning, which left two dead and was described as the biggest “since spring” by local military authorities.

In some major cities, underground shelters have been set up to allow teachers to continue their lessons in the event of sirens warning of possible bombings.

“Students and teachers are forced to adapt to this reality,” Ukrainian army commander Valery Zaluzny also wrote on Telegram.

“But the main thing is that our children study (…) Because knowledge and culture are what distinguish us from the enemy. They are the pillars on which the current front rests and on which the future of our country will be built “, he said.

The Ukrainian army has been carrying out a difficult counter-offensive in the south and east of the country since the beginning of June in an attempt to recapture the territories occupied by Moscow’s forces.