Russia has seen at least 14 violent attacks in schools and educational institutions in 2026, nearing the 15 attacks reported across all of 2025 [1]. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, nearly half (48%) of all recorded school attacks in the country over the past 25 years have occurred, signaling a sharp rise coinciding with the war period [1].
The incidents include a teenager firing an air pistol at a primary school in the Krasnodar region, the fatal stabbing of a teacher, and a student setting fire to a classroom and attacking classmates with a hammer in Siberia [1]. Some of the attacking students wore military camouflage uniforms, illustrating the increasing penetration of conflict into children’s environments [1].
Yuri Lapshin, a former Moscow school psychologist, said, "This is a sign that war is increasingly penetrating children’s minds. The more those who absorb this propaganda in childhood grow up, the more war will become part of life for them" [1]. Olga Zhuravskaya, who runs an anti-bullying project called Travli NET, noted, "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..." [1].
The Russian interior ministry stated in April 2026 that most school attacks are perpetrated by teenagers influenced negatively by external actors and the information space [1]. An unnamed official said, "In most of the cases, teenagers carry out such acts under the negative influence of third parties and the information space" [1]. Experts also highlight causes such as bullying, revenge motives, and the militarized environment created by the Ukraine conflict [1].
The repeated violence marks a concerning trend as it edges close to last year’s total within just eight months of 2026. The coming months will show if measures aimed at addressing these issues reduce the frequency of attacks.
