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Kiev, Ukraine
A morning at a school in Kiev.
Oleksander Shcherbyn, Ukrainian police demining unit
“How many explosives do you think you could fit in here?
A kilogram of explosives could easily fit in here, that's really a lot."
The children should learn to identify a possible bomb and react accordingly.
The background to the action: Since the beginning of the year, schools and other public institutions have received more than 300 anonymous bomb threats.
All turned out to be false reports.
The Ukrainian secret service SBU blames Russia for the bomb threats - as "part of a hybrid warfare".
In this way, Moscow wants to spread fear and panic in society.
On the other hand, the students should help the education of the police.
Schools and other facilities have had to be evacuated several times because of false bomb alarms.
The students of the 209th comprehensive school in Kiev are already used to such threats.
Pupil at the 209th Comprehensive School in Kiev
»I thought it was a good exercise. If, God forbid, they really do find a bomb here, we're ready. And we won't panic - hopefully."
Whether the Russian secret services are really responsible for the threatening emails could not be checked. The Ukrainians, however, see this as a method they are familiar with from other cyber and hacker attacks from Russia. There is great concern in the country: Russia has held further military maneuvers on the Ukrainian border and near Crimea. Western secret services speak of more than 100,000 Russian soldiers who are said to be on the border with Ukraine. The Russian Ministry of Defense said it would keep more than 6,000 men and 60 fighter jets on maneuvers there. And the Ukrainian military intelligence service reports that Russia has further increased its arms deliveries to the self-proclaimed People's Republics of Luhansk and Donetsk.
Here at the school in Kiev, it is not about the imminent threat of a military invasion.
It's about dealing with a threat – regardless of whether it comes from the Russian secret service or from free riders.
Disaster Response Officer
“Everyone should learn the mechanics of the possible responses.
You should also learn the difference between explosives and pyrotechnics.”
Even if the evacuation of the school is purely an exercise this time, the constant threats for the 6 to 16-year-old students are always a strain.