UKRAINE, KHARKIV, June 25 — Kharkiv mayor Ihor Terekhov wrote a letter to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, and to Audrey Azoulay, director-general of the United Nations Education and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), asking them to help stop the Russian attacks on Kharkiv region, reports the Kharkiv City Council’s press office.   

Russia attacks Kharkiv region and Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city that’s 19 miles from the border, often since the start of the full-scale invasion, targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure. The attacks have intensified since Russia started its new offensive north of the region in May 2024.

In the letter, Terekhov noted that Russia destroyed Ukraine’s potential, using force and ignoring international law. At the same time, one of the strategies for sustainable development of the United Nation is a development of a high-quality education, but because of Russia’s armed aggression, all-round development of scientific and artistic potential of Kharkiv residents is made not possible. 

Terekhov said that Kharkiv used to associate with the city of students, young people, and art intellectuals. But, since the beginning of Russian-full scale invasion, Russia fully or partially destroyed 796 educational, 271 culture, 52 sports institutions, and 34 parks and squares. 

In total, air raid alerts since the full-scale invasion have lasted over 172 days, 16 hours per day, Terekhov said.  

“Our children are forced to learn in the underground school. A Russian missile strike destroyed a printing house, “Factor-Druk,” owned by a publisher company Vivat, where books for Ukrainian schools were published,” Kharkiv Mayor said. 

Ihor Terekhov urged the representatives of the UN and UNESCO to employ all possible mechanisms to stop the destruction of the civilian population and infrastructure of Kharkiv.

On June 25, the U.S. National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, said America will provide Ukrainian elementary school students with up to 3.2 million copies of textbooks. 

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