‘Next time I’ll stab you’: Russia sees spate of wartime school attacks
Russia is experiencing a troubling rise in school attacks, with at least 14 incidents reported in 2026 alone. Experts attribute these violent acts to a militarized environment and factors such as bullying and a desire for revenge among students. The normalization of violence in schools is raising concerns about the long-term impact on children's mental health and societal attitudes towards conflict.
- ▪There have been at least 14 reported attacks in schools in 2026, compared to 15 in all of 2025.
- ▪Almost 48 percent of all school attacks in the last 25 years have occurred since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
- ▪Experts warn that the militarized environment and propaganda are influencing children's behavior and perceptions of violence.
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‘Next time I’ll stab you’: Russia sees spate of wartime school attacksSign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inboxMeanwhile, the effectiveness of schools’ responses to the rising attacks is patchy.PHOTO: UNSPLASHPublished May 26, 2026, 02:15 PMUpdated May 26, 2026, 02:15 PMWARSAW – When a teacher at a school in north-western Russia tried to wake a 16-year-old student sleeping at his desk, he muttered: “You’ll regret this.”After the lesson, he grabbed her from behind, pressing what she thought was a pen into her throat.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Straits Times — World.