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- Life in Ukraine
20 Kilometers From the Frontline, Kharkiv’s Children Celebrate St. Nicholas Day Underground
In Ukraine's second-largest city, the winter holidays look very different from what the rest of the world knows. For the children of this war-torn city, celebrating St. Nicholas Day—a holiday traditionally filled with warmth and festivity—means descending into the metro stations, where the city's underground schools have become a refuge.
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![Daniel_kosoy]( "Daniel Kosoy")
-b8fcbbfe52c8c4ebd7d839f8da0d3498.jpeg "Daniel Kosoy")
The war is felt in Kharkiv, with Russia’s relentless bombardment making traditional schooling nearly impossible. In a city where the threat of airstrikes and shelling is constant, sending children to study in regular classrooms is far too dangerous.
To ensure education continues, Kharkiv has turned its metro stations into makeshift schools, offering a secure place for children to learn, socialize, and experience a semblance of normalcy amid the chaos above ground.
Out of Kharkiv's 100,000 students, 53,000 remain in the city. The rest, displaced by the war, continue their education remotely from other cities or even different countries. These children, like the ones still in Kharkiv, have become part of the vast network of internally displaced people and refugees seeking safety. While online education offers a lifeline, underground schools provide a rare chance for in-person learning and connection.
The underground schooling system is a carefully organized effort. Nineteen bus routes traverse the city, each with a security escort to ensure the children can safely reach the metro stations. Funded by the Kharkiv city council, this system has become essential to maintaining the education of the city's children in the face of Russia’s war.
Each of the six metro stations functioning as schools serves multiple local (above-ground) schools, each retaining its identity. These stations were selected for their depth and available space, which can be repurposed beyond what is used for daily metro travel.
Inside, the classrooms are compact, and designed to make the most of the available space. Students rotate through these classrooms in shifts, ensuring that all 53,000 children have access to in-person education while others continue their studies online. Outfitted with desks, chairs, televisions, and essential safety equipment, these spaces provide a functional learning environment. Despite the cramped conditions, teachers make the most of the opportunity to engage and support their students.
These metro station classrooms are where many Kharkiv children celebrate St. Nicholas Day on December 6. St. Nicholas Day holds deep cultural significance in Ukraine. Traditionally, St. Nicholas, known for his generosity, visits well-behaved children, bringing gifts and treats. It marks the start of the Christmas season and is typically a joyful, family-centered occasion.
Teachers dressed as renditions of the jolly saint visit each classroom, handing out candy and toys, spreading joy, and offering a much-needed moment of happiness to children enduring undeserved hardships. In these underground schools, St. Nicholas’ visit is a moment of festive cheer, reminding that even in the darkest times, kindness and joy can still prevail.
Schools should be safe spaces where children can learn and grow without fear. Unfortunately, in cities near the frontline like Kharkiv, the only place schools can function is underground.
This situation is not unique to Kharkiv—across Ukraine, schools are required to have bomb shelters in place to operate. Without these shelters, education cannot continue. This has led to fundraising initiatives to build more bomb shelters in schools nationwide, ensuring that no child has to choose between their safety and education.
As the children of Kharkiv celebrate St. Nicholas Day in their underground schools, they are not just marking a holiday—they are showing resilience, defiance, and hope. Despite the war, they are determined to learn, laugh, and live.
The work to protect Ukraine’s children continues, and with efforts like UNITED24's fundraising campaign, there is hope that one day, every child in Ukraine will have the opportunity to learn in a safe and nurturing environment. Until then, these underground schools will be a temporary but practical solution for in-person education.
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-f38b732102cdae65faec9ce63e492d38.jpg "Valeriia Guseva")
