First underground preschool opens in Zaporizhzhia amid ongoing war

The first underground preschool has opened in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, according to Ukrinform, providing young children in the city with an early-education facility designed to offer greater protection amid the ongoing war.

Zaporizhzhia, located in southeastern Ukraine, has faced repeated security threats since Russia's full-scale invasion began, prompting local authorities and institutions to adapt infrastructure — including schools — to provide safer spaces for residents. Underground or hardened facilities have become increasingly common in Ukrainian cities near the front lines as a way to keep essential services, including education, running despite the risk of attacks.

The available report did not specify the preschool's capacity, funding source or the authorities responsible for the project, though the development reflects broader efforts across Ukraine to protect children and maintain continuity in early childhood education during wartime conditions.

Education under wartime conditions

Ukrainian officials have increasingly turned to underground and shelter-adjacent facilities for schools across cities exposed to shelling and missile strikes, aiming to balance children's safety with the need to keep educational routines intact. Zaporizhzhia, which sits close to the front line in the ongoing conflict, has been a focus of such adaptations.

Further details on the preschool's operations and capacity were not immediately available.