The “Kyivska Rus” secondary school in Osokorky has been closed due to the building’s unsafe condition

This was announced by Oleksandr Kovtunov, head of the Darnytsia District State Administration.

In Kyiv, the operation of the “Kyivska Rus” secondary school building in Osokorky has been temporarily suspended after it was officially recognised as posing a potential threat of a man-made emergency. The relevant decision was adopted at a meeting of the Commission on Technogenic and Environmental Safety and Emergencies.

This refers to an educational institution opened in 2013 with the participation of the then Minister of Education, Dmytro Tabachnyk. At the time of its opening, the school was presented as state-of-the-art and built to the highest international standards.

More than ten years later, critical structural problems have been identified in the building. The inspection was carried out by specialists from the Research Institute of Construction.

Among the problems identified are systemic cracks in the walls, excessive deflection of floor slabs exceeding permissible limits, insufficient load-bearing capacity of the structures, systemic water ingress into the foundations, and damage to pipework.

The Head of the Darnytsia District State Administration, Oleksandr Kovtunov, reported that a number of defects and structural elements had been under monitoring throughout the year, but had recently begun to show signs of danger. That is why the authorities decided to take pre-emptive action and temporarily suspend use of the building to prevent an emergency.

Following the decision, pupils were transferred to distance learning. At the same time, parents were offered an alternative – the option to choose face-to-face learning at other educational institutions if they wished.

It was previously reported that the school grounds are to be fenced off, and teaching in the building will be completely suspended by the end of the academic year. In parallel, a proposal is being prepared regarding funding for major repairs.

Following the meeting with parents and teachers, it was agreed to establish a parents’ committee. A joint visit to the school building itself is planned for this week. Experts who prepared the findings that formed the basis for the decisions of the TEB and NS commissions are also to be involved in the discussions.

Separately, Kovtunov clarified that the commission’s decision provides for a comprehensive survey of the building. This should determine whether partial use of certain rooms can be permitted alongside the repair work, or whether the school will have to be completely closed to carry out emergency measures.

He also emphasised that the school will remain in municipal ownership and will not be transferred to private use.

The Darnytsia District State Administration stated its readiness to maintain constant communication with parents, both directly and through the established parent group. Separately, parents were permitted to engage independent experts to help form their own position.

The next meeting with parents has been tentatively scheduled for Thursday, 26 March 2026.

As a reminder, the ‘Kyivska Rus’ gymnasium in Kyiv is being closed due to the building’s unsafe condition