In Kharkiv, almost 800 educational facilities completely or partially destroyed - mayor appeals to UN

Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov addressed UN Secretary General António Guterres and UNESCO Director General Audrey Azoulay in a letter, urging them to help stop Russian attacks on Kharkiv region.

The Kharkiv City Council reported this via Telegram, Ukrinform saw.

The letter states that Russia is destroying Ukraine's potential, satisfying its leadership's ambitions by force with complete disregard for international law.

Terekhov emphasized that one of the UN goals of sustainable development is the provision of fair, high-quality education, but due to Russia’s armed aggression, comprehensive development of the research and creative potential of Kharkiv residents is deemed impossible.

"Over the past century, Kharkiv has been known around the world as a city of students, youths, and creative intelligentsia with a large number of educational and academic facilities. However, after the start of a full-scale war, 796 educational facilities, 271 cultural institutions, 52 sports venues, 34 parks and squares were fully or partially destroyed," the appeal reads.

According to the mayor, since the full-scale invasion, the air raid alert in the city has lasted for more than 172 days in a row, some 16 hours per day.

"Our children are forced to study in underground schools. The Faktor-Druk print facility of the Vivat publishing house, which used to print textbooks for Ukrainian schools, was destroyed by a Russian missile attack," the mayor noted.

On behalf of city residents, Terekhov called on the UN and UNESCO to apply all mechanisms available to stop the destruction of the civilian population and civilian infrastructure in Kharkiv.

"On the territory of Ukraine, the aggressor state makes it impossible to implement UN educational programs. What is happening now in Kharkiv threatens not only Kharkiv residents and not only Ukraine. Russia’s actions pose a challenge, a threat to the future of all humanity," the mayor emphasized.

As reported, on May 23, Russia launched missile strikes on a printing house belonging to the Factor-Druk holding. Seven people were killed and 22 were injured.