As Russian forces swept into town and artillery shells exploded outside last winter, residents of this village about 30 miles northwest of Kyiv cowered in fear in the basement of the local school. On Thursday, the Russian invaders who failed to seize the Ukrainian capital were a memory, and the school was the scene of a much more tranquil and joyous occasion: the official opening of the academic year, which takes place annually on 1 September.
With traditional pageantry, 15 year-two pupils were escorted into the school’s auditorium by the oldest students. They sang the Ukrainian national anthem and recited prepared phrases about the day’s importance, while a gaggle of proud parents looked on. At the end, the pupils took turns ringing a bell to mark the start of their academic life.
