A Russian drone struck a school in Kyiv on Tuesday, injuring several children and staff as the city endures a surge in aerial attacks.

Officials said the drone, believed to be a Shahed‑type loitering munition supplied by Iran, hit the building's rear wing, causing a fire that sparked an evacuation of roughly 300 pupils.

Local authorities reported that at least five children and two teachers were taken to hospitals with non‑life‑threatening injuries, while a further dozen received first‑aid treatment on site.

Kyiv school rear wing smoke after drone strike

Ukraine's defence ministry confirmed the incident, stating that the drone was intercepted by air‑defences but one munition broke through and detonated near the school. The ministry condemned the attack as a breach of international humanitarian law, urging the International Criminal Court to investigate.

The strike comes as Moscow has ramped up its aerial campaign, launching over 1,200 sorties in the past 48 hours, according to data compiled by the Kyiv Independent. Analysts attribute the heightened tempo to Russia's effort to pressure Kyiv ahead of the upcoming NATO summit in Washington.

Escalating attacks on civilian infrastructure

Since the war began in February 2022, Ukraine has reported more than 10,000 civilian structures damaged or destroyed, with schools, hospitals and residential blocks among the most frequently hit targets.

Human Rights Watch has documented a pattern of strikes on educational facilities, noting that more than 150 schools have been hit since the start of 2024. The latest attack adds to a series of incidents in the capital, including a missile strike on a kindergarten in August that left several children injured.

International response and legal implications

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) called the school strike "deeply distressing" and appealed for increased protection of civilian sites. European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell urged Russia to respect the Geneva Conventions, warning of possible further sanctions.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, speaking from the presidential office, pledged to strengthen air‑defence capabilities and said the government would pursue "all legal avenues" to hold perpetrators accountable.

Impact on daily life and education

Following the attack, the Kyiv City Education Department announced the temporary closure of the affected school and nearby institutions, disrupting lessons for over 1,000 students in the district.

Parents gathered outside the school to demand safer conditions, while volunteers set up makeshift classrooms in community centres to minimise educational loss.

With the NATO summit set to begin next week, Ukraine hopes the heightened international attention will translate into more robust defensive aid, particularly advanced surface‑to‑air systems capable of intercepting low‑altitude drones.

Humanitarian organisations warn that continued strikes on schools could erode the country's future human capital, urging the global community to prioritise the protection of children in conflict zones.