‘Algebra under air raids’: the children in a Ukraine war zone who attend class in Australia

Sofiia Yakymenko, 13, studied online with the Monash University virtual school in Kyiv during the war. Since fleeing to Italy with her family, she attends the virtual school alongside her classes in Italy Photograph: Sofiia Yakymenko

Remote learning isn’t new for Sofiia Yakymenko. The 13-year-old grew up during the Covid pandemic when shutdowns, computer screens and distance learning became normal.

But the Ukrainian student wasn’t used to evenings spent on Zoom with teachers in the far-flung country of Australia, while rockets flew by outside her window.