The underground school in Komyshuvakha targeted by Russia was built according to a standardised design and complied with all construction regulations. However, neither this facility nor other underground schools in Ukraine were designed to withstand strikes from FAB-3000 aerial bombs.
This was stated during a briefing by Ivan Fedorov, Head of Ukraine's State Agency for Restoration and Infrastructure Development.
According to Fedorov, all Ukrainian regions received a standardised design for constructing underground educational facilities. The project was developed by an international organisation and provided to Ukraine free of charge.
Construction was carried out in accordance with the relevant regulations, after which the school was commissioned and transferred to the local community.
"All relevant authorities inspected the completed facilities to ensure they met the required standards. But I want everyone to understand that the real issue here is not construction. What weapons were used to attack the school in Komyshuvakha? Nine aerial bombs were launched, some of them relatively rare three-tonne bombs containing more than 1,400 kg of explosives. That is approximately three times the explosive power of a ballistic missile," Fedorov emphasised.
He stressed that none of the underground schools being built across Ukraine are designed to withstand a direct hit from a FAB-3000 bomb.
Asked whether the experience would be taken into account when constructing underground kindergartens, particularly in the Zaporizhzhia region, Fedorov said the agency would discuss the issue with the Ministry of Education and Science.
The Ministry of Defence, the Ministry for Communities and Territories Development and the General Staff will also be involved in expert discussions to assess the incident and draw conclusions.
Russian forces dropped aerial bombs on the underground school in Komyshuvakha, which was being used as a Point of Invincibility — a community support centre providing essential services during emergencies. The strike occurred while humanitarian aid was being distributed at the facility.
At least 33 people have been confirmed dead, while more than 50 others may remain trapped beneath the rubble. Three days of mourning have been declared in the Zaporizhzhia region, from 3 to 5 November. The attack is one of the deadliest tragedies in the region since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
