Here's the latest developments from the war in Ukraine.
Russian missile attack at Ukrainian school kills four
ADVERTISEMENTAt least four people were killed in a Russian missile attack on a school in central Ukraine, the Governor of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast said on Wednesday.
All four of the casualties were aged over 60.
The governor said that houses and commercial buildings near the local high school were also affected by the missile.
Ukraine’s Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko later confirmed two more injuries, posting a video of emergency services digging through the ruins of the affected buildings.
The Ukrainian authorities said some 28 Russian drones were shot down overnight with one strike damaging a port warehouse facility in the southern region of Odesa.
Local governor Oleg Kiper reported damage to "port infrastructure and residential buildings" in the Izmail district.
Russia has multiplied attacks in ports crucial for trade on the Black Sea since backing out of the Black Sea grain deal, like those in the districts of Izmail and Reni.
NATO to continue support to Ukraine despite Israel-Hamas war
NATO countries assured that they would not falter in their support for Ukraine despite the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict as Volodymyr Zelensky paid a surprise visit to the Bloc’s headquarters on Wednesday.
"We need the support of the leaders, that's why I'm here," he said, adding he was worried the day before about the consequences to his country due to the war between Israel and Hamas.
Zelenskyy’s participation in the meeting consisting of defence ministers of NATO member countries was not originally planned.
Russia’s repeated shelling of Ukraine's energy infrastructure repeatedly deprived Ukrainians of electricity or heating last winter, which Zelenskyy said should not repeat again.
“The winter air defence is a significant part of the answer to the question of when this war will end and whether it will end justly for Ukraine,” he said.
"We will continue to provide the systems they need," US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters.
He said that Ukraine had also asked for air defence and artillery systems on Wednesday to protect themselves from Russian strikes and continue its counter offensive.
Ukraine to receive significant support to remove landmines
More than 30 donor countries pledged nearly €500 million euros to help Ukraine in its demining effort at a donor’s conference on Wednesday.
The support promised by the International Donor Conference on Humanitarian Demining in Ukraine will come in various forms, including the transfer of safety equipment and special training required to clear out landmines.
Nearly one-third of the country’s territory is currently “contaminated” with land mines, according to Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko.
Local authorities estimate at least 10 years will be required to completely remove land mines from those territories after the end of the war.
ADVERTISEMENTSome six million civilians are actively at risk due to scattered mines and 250 have already been killed since the start of the invasion, according to Prime Miniter Denys Shmyhal.