Belgorod governor advises schools to use old textbooks to protect pupils from Ukrainian shelling

The governor of Russia’s western Belgorod region, Vyacheslav Gladkov, has advised schools and kindergartens to stack up old textbooks in front of windows to protect pupils and teachers from broken glass during Ukrainian shelling, independent media outlet IStories reported on Tuesday.

Addressing a meeting of the regional government, Gladkov spoke approvingly of how one school in the city of Shebekino had stacked disused textbooks to fill in window frames, creating what he called “additional safe zones”. He also praised the initiative several times for not requiring any funds from the regional budget.

“I would like to ask that attention be paid to this in budgetary institutions, schools and kindergartens. This does not require additional money, none at all. But it certainly brings with it considerable efficiency,” Gladkov said, adding that new textbooks should not be used as protection so as “not to deprive children of learning opportunities”.

The Belgorod region, which directly borders Ukraine, is regularly targeted by Ukrainian shelling and drone strikes, and has borne the brunt of Ukrainian attacks on Russia in the three-and-a-half years of war.

Regional authorities have resisted making the switch to distance learning, despite lobbying by parents of school-age children who complain that it is unsafe to take their children to school, where instead of learning, staff and pupils often spend hours sitting in makeshift bomb shelters.

Overnight on Monday, over 100 Ukrainian drones attacked the Belgorod region, Gladkov said, adding that at least one resident was killed, and an eight-year-old girl and a 12-year-old boy were injured.