A teacher at a school in northwestern Russia was attacked by a 16-year-old student with a medical scalpel after she tried to wake him from sleeping at his desk. The incident, recounted to AFP on condition of anonymity, is among a rising number of violent attacks in Russian schools that experts link to the militarised environment stemming from the war in Ukraine.
Surge in Attacks
There have been at least 14 reported attacks in schools and other educational institutions so far this year, compared with 15 in all of 2023. Independent outlet Novaya Gazeta calculated that 48 percent of all such attacks recorded over the last 25 years have occurred since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. Notable incidents include a teenager firing an air pistol at a primary school in the Krasnodar region, a teacher stabbed to death, and a girl setting a classroom on fire before attacking classmates with a hammer in Siberia.
Official and Expert Views
An interior ministry official stated in April that most attacks occur due to negative influence from third parties and the information space. However, independent experts highlight bullying and desire for revenge as primary motives, exacerbated by the war's impact on society and schools. In some cases, students wore military camouflage before attacks. Yuri Lapshin, a former Moscow school psychologist now in France, said: "This is a sign that war is increasingly penetrating children's minds." He added, "The more those who absorb this propaganda in childhood grow up, the more war will become part of life for them."
War Penetrating Schools
Russia has integrated the Ukraine war into school life through patriotic youth groups, lectures by former fighters, and military-related activities. Olga Zhuravskaya, fundraiser for the anti-bullying project Travli NET, said: "No virus in the world spreads as quickly as the virus of violence. We have been telling children to treat each other with care at school. But if they grow up knowing they may end up in a warzone and die, that may also affect how they see themselves and their future."
Teacher's Experience
The teacher attacked with a scalpel had requested training after three school attacks in one week but was told not to cause panic. After the incident, the student voluntarily quit school, and the principal urged her not to report it to police. Cameras and metal detectors were installed, but colleagues advised her to stay quiet to keep her job. She fears the assailant could wait for her outside school. Police told her there was insufficient evidence for a criminal case, saying, "Come back when you're dead."
Response Effectiveness Questioned
Schools' responses to rising attacks are patchy. A speech therapist from central Russia noted that a new metal detector "would be triggered by a bunch of keys, but might not react to a metal chair." Anti-terrorism drills include responses to drone attacks, explosive devices, and armed assailants. Often unannounced, pupils and teachers barricade doors with desks and hide in corners. Teachers sometimes play the role of attackers. Staff have been asked to monitor pupils closely, including on social media. However, Lapshin said, "Profiling doesn't work," adding that staff need time to notice isolated, bullied, or distressed children.
Teachers speaking anonymously expressed fear. A history teacher in Siberia, where many men have gone to fight, said pupils have become more aggressive. A physics teacher in the Moscow region noted colleagues avoid giving bad marks for fear of retribution. "What if he comes back with a weapon?" several said.
