Ukraine War: Russian Strike Damages Kherson University

Kherson State University in southern Ukraine sustained damage overnight following a Russian drone attack, according to university officials. The attack, which targeted physics laboratories within the main university building, is the latest in a series of assaults on educational institutions in the Kherson region and across Ukraine.

Oleksandr Spivakovskyi, the rector of Kherson State University, shared images on Facebook showing the aftermath of the strike. The photographs depict blown-out windows and a classroom strewn with rubble and debris. February 16, Spivakovskyi reported the damage to a room housing physics laboratories.

What we have is not an isolated incident. Spivakovskyi has documented at least three prior Russian attacks on the university’s buildings since the beginning of 2025. In early January, damage was reported to the gallery of former university heads, a space holding 107 years of institutional history. Earlier attacks, in October 2023 and later that month, also caused damage to university buildings. A previous attack occurred on March 28, 2024, damaging classrooms.

The attacks on Kherson State University are part of a broader pattern of targeting civilian infrastructure during the ongoing conflict. On February 8, 2025, Russian forces attacked the Faculty of Physical Education and Sports at the same university, causing damage to windows and the roof. Spivakovskyi emphasized at the time that the building was empty when it was struck, characterizing the attack as an act of barbarism.

Beyond the university, the wider Kherson region experienced further impacts from Russian attacks on February 8, 2025. Local authorities reported injuries to civilians, including a child, and power outages in the Dniprovsky district. Three women, aged 32 and 57, and an 11-year-old child sustained contusions, mine-blast injuries, and craniocerebral injuries. A 58-year-old woman also suffered mine-blast and craniocerebral injuries and contusions. A mother and child were rescued from a fire and their lives were not reported to be in danger.

The attacks on Kherson region are not unique. On the same day as the university attack, Russian forces reportedly targeted 37 localities in the Kherson region, damaging residential areas, social infrastructure, and critical facilities. Similar attacks were reported in Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, and Sumy regions, resulting in at least 16 injuries across Ukraine. Rolling power outages were also reported in parts of Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Cherkasy, and Odesa regions.

The targeting of educational institutions raises concerns about the long-term impact on Ukraine’s future. According to available data, at least 130 educational institutions in the Kherson community have been damaged as a result of Russian aggression, encompassing 59 gymnasiums and schools, 71 kindergartens, nine vocational education institutions, and ten out-of-school education facilities.

These attacks occur against a backdrop of broader challenges facing Ukraine’s education system. Reports suggest Russia is struggling to establish functioning schools in occupied territories, with some observers describing them as “Potemkin” schools – facades of education lacking adequate resources or students. This effort appears to be hampered by a shortage of both pupils and qualified teachers.

The continued attacks on infrastructure and civilian targets underscore the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and the challenges facing the country as it seeks to rebuild and recover from the conflict. The damage to Kherson State University, a vital institution in the region, represents a significant loss for the local community and a setback for Ukraine’s educational system.