British Council vows to continue work in Ukraine after Kyiv strike
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The British Council has pledged to continue its mission in Ukraine despite its Kyiv headquarters being “practically obliterated” by a Russian missile strike last week.
The attack on 27 August left at least 16 people dead and caused severe damage to the organisation’s offices in central Kyiv. Colm McGivern, the British Council’s country director, described the destruction as “absolutely devastating” but vowed that the Council’s work would not be derailed.
Standing outside the ruined site, McGivern extended condolences to victims’ families but underlined the Council’s determination: “We’ve been here for 30 years and we will continue our work. Our resolve is still there.”
He noted that the organisation did not suspend its activities when Russia first invaded in 2022, and that cultural and educational links between the UK and Ukraine would remain a priority. Plans for a British Council event in Lviv this week are going ahead, with face-to-face classes for young Ukrainians also set to resume shortly.
A member of staff was injured in the strike but is recovering in hospital. McGivern praised Ukraine’s emergency services and acknowledged the “overwhelming” support from the international education community.
British Council chief executive Scott McDonald confirmed that operations in Ukraine would continue “wherever possible”, despite the destruction and the ongoing threat of attacks.
European leaders condemned the strike, which formed part of a wider assault involving hundreds of missiles and drones. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer accused Russian president Vladimir Putin of “sabotaging peace”, while European Council president António Costa described the bombing as a deliberate attack on the Council’s Ukrainian office.
Academics and educators also expressed solidarity. Gwen van der Helden, a professor at the University of Warwick and V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, called the strike “utter codswallop”, adding that British Council staff “deserve better” for their efforts to support the country’s future.
Despite the devastation in Kyiv, the British Council insists its work in Ukraine will not only survive, but continue to grow in defiance of Russia’s war.
Source: THE PIE NEWS
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