Russia-Ukraine Crisis: Over 160 educational institutions destroyed by Russian troops, says Ukraine foreign affairs ministry

Over 160 educational institutions in Ukraine have been partially or completely destroyed by the shelling of Russian troops, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Ukraine on Friday said.

"According to the Minister of Education of Ukraine, more than 160 educational institutions in Ukraine have been partially or completely destroyed by the shelling of Russian troops," the MFA tweeted.

This comes against the backdrop of Russian forces launching military operations in Ukraine on February 24, three days after Moscow recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent entities.

Several countries including the UK, the US, Canada, and the European Union have condemned Russia's military operations in Ukraine and imposed sanctions on Moscow.

These countries have also promised Ukraine to help with military aid to fight Russia.

The US, Canada and European allies agreed to remove key Russian banks from the interbank messaging system, SWIFT which means Russian banks won't be able to communicate securely with banks beyond Russia's borders. President Putin has also signed a decree on special economic measures against the US and its allies.

(ANI)