Bomb Threats Force Evacuations at Russian Schools

Sep. 1, 2026 Russian police stand guard outside of a school in Moscow on Sept. 1, 2026. Alexander Nemenov / AFP A wave of false bomb threats triggered mass evacuations at schools, kindergartens, hospitals and museums across at least nine Russian regions, local officials and media reported Tuesday. In the Leningrad region, Governor Alexander Drozdenko said “a dozen” schools, kindergartens and hospitals responded to bomb scares. The hoaxes came amid Day of Knowledge celebrations that mark the start of the new school year every Sept. 1. “We can’t ignore these threats, even though we understand the enemy’s goal to… ruin the holiday for children and adults,” Drozdenko wrote on Telegram, likely a reference to Ukraine. St. Petersburg and Leningrad region police told the Fontanka news outlet that “more than 100 institutions” received false threats. In Moscow, at least four museums, including the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts, evacuated visitors or temporarily closed for what they called “technical reasons.” A government building in the Far Eastern Zabaikalsky region and a number of hospitals in the central republic of Tatarstan were also reportedly evacuated. Fake bomb threats were also reported across the Ural Mountains, the Yamal-Nenets autonomous district, the Orenburg region and the Krasnoyarsk region. Mass bomb threats, which the Kremlin referred to as “telephone terrorism,” have periodically plagued Russian cities in the years before and since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Read more about: Schools Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Putin Offers Condolences to Tajik President After Fatal School Stabbing Putin said Russian law enforcement officials would keep their Tajik counterparts informed of developments in the ongoing investigation into the killing... 2 Min read Moscow Schools to Move Parent, Teacher Chats to Max App Education Minister Sergei Kravtsov claimed earlier this week that the transition to the Kremlin-backed app would not be forced on teachers and parents... 2 Min read Education Ministry Publishes Official List of 'Patriotic' Songs for Schools The list includes 17 wartime songs, such as “Soldiers Are Coming” and 20 others like “Red Sun” and “My Moscow.” 1 Min read Dozens of Russian Regions to Pilot Patriotic Lessons in Preschools The classes, known as “Important Conversations,” were introduced in high schools in 2022 after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine. 1 Min read