Article #64550

For most teenagers, the last day of school is about summer, freedom and new beginnings. At a military school in western Ukraine, it marks the end of years spent living, studying and training together – and, for many, the first step towards a career in the armed forces at a time of war

The school in western Ukraine is home to about 400 cadets from across the country. On paper, it resembles any other high school, where students study mathematics, physics, English and history before taking the same national exams as their peers. But the daily life for these cadets is different.

As cadets wait to march out for the graduation parade, one straightens her classmate’s collar