Ukraine’s first lady Olena Zelenska urges 'don't forget about our tragedy this Christmas' amid ongoing Russia war

It was the first day of school in Ukraine on Sept 1 but children weren't sharing memories of fun vacations. Their stories were of surviving war.

For many, their last day of school was the day before the February 24 Russian invasion of their country.

At least 379 children have been killed since the war began, while whereabouts of 223 others are unknown, according to Ukraine's General Prosecutors office.

Six months of war damaged 2,400 schools across the country, including 269 that were completely destroyed.

Civilian areas & schools continue to be hit. But 51% of schools in Ukraine, despite the risk, are reopening to in-person education, with an option to study online if parents prefer.

At schools that don’t have quick access to shelters or are located close to the borders with Belarus and Russia, or near active military zones, children will only study online.

Schools in Kyiv & Lviv were among those welcoming students back to classrooms, including more than 7,300 displaced students forced to flee their hometowns.

With a fire alarm going off and all the children lining up to head to the basement bomb shelter — and windowless — areas in the corridors.

In one school, the first-grade classroom was all ready: tables, chairs, a clean blackboard, the alphabet and numbers hanging on the wall. The only thing missing was the students.