A record number of Shahed drones entered Belarusian airspace during Russian attack on Ukraine on November 22 the monitoring group Belarusian Hajun reports "More than 10 Shaheds flew into Belarus overnight and the incursions are ongoing," the report states the last drone crossed Belarusian airspace five minutes ago (as of 11:30 a.m. One of the Russian drones entered Belarus from Ovruch in the Zhytomyr region on November 22 (deepstatemap.live) Russian drones have been regularly entering Belarusian airspacу during Russian attacks on Ukraine The first such incursions began in mid-July For comparison, only nine Shaheds entered Belarus in July. It is interesting that in late August, aviation was used for the first time in Belarus to shoot down a Russian Shahed drone. Furthermore, in early October, a Russian Shahed drone exploded in Kalinkavichy, Belarus, causing a power outage in the town "Rebuilding future and hope: modernizing preschool education in Ukraine," a project designed and managed by the Estonian Center for International Development (ESTDEV) has been added to the European Council's 2025 flagship project list which involved building a kindergarten in Ovruch Ukraine and facilitating capacity building for teachers and early childhood education managers in the Zhytomyr Oblast." This is great recognition for Team Estonia and Team ESTDEV and our support for Ukraine," said Klen Jäärats "The Global Gateway's flagship list showcases the most significant influential and visible actions the EU took outside its borders EU institutions and EU delegations use these projects to promote Global Gateway the flagship list provides an opportunity to find cooperation partners." The European Council has endorsed 46 Global Gateway flagship projects for 2025 The projects identified as flagships by EU member states' ambassadors are prominent examples of Global Gateway deliverables in the areas of digital This selection of key initiatives showcases the comprehensive support the EU and its member states offer to partners worldwide and the diverse project sectors These flagship projects strengthen our strategic partnerships and promote our joint interests Each project is scheduled to achieve a tangible deliverable and milestone during 2025 Flagship projects are identified on a yearly basis and integrated into the Global Gateway flagships list which includes 218 initiatives from previous years – in this case The flagship list is not an exhaustive account of all the projects and activities under the Global Gateway framework it serves as a tool for the EU and its member states to communicate strategically with partners and increase project visibility throughout 2025 Flagship projects showcase concrete transformative projects and emphasize their tangible impact and benefits to local communities inclusion on the list does not guarantee that the EU will finance the project Selection aligns with the Global Gateway governance and takes into account input from the Commission it remains a flagship project until completion To support the list's continued accuracy and relevance a review procedure has been introduced to streamline the consideration of projects identified as flagships in 2023 and 2024 The EU's Global Gateway strategy encourages public and private investment in infrastructure education and research for sustainable development It aims to mobilize up to €300 billion of investments worldwide between 2021 and 2027 the EU and its member states develop and invest in sustainable and quality investment projects around the world in close cooperation with EU partners around the world Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update! 0)" class="article-poll-disclaimer" ng-bind="totalVotes + ' hääletajat'"> {{option.votes}} {{selectedLanguage.poll.votes}}/ Iga kasutaja võib hääletada {{poll.optionLimit}} vastusevariandi poolt Our weekly email is chockful of interesting and relevant insights into Jewish history The pain and suffering of Ukrainians are heart wrenching telling me that our town Ovruch in Ukraine was being bombed by the Russians managed to escape to Poland with her two young daughters while her husband stayed behind to fight in Ukraine Frantically I began to call and write to the Polish and American embassies asking for guidance and help to rescue a mother with her two children I was told that it was early in the war and that it would be best to reach out to local immigration agencies Having immigrated from Ukraine with my family as a child 26 years ago that such atrocities and turmoil would happen I have lived through antisemitism where at times I was physically hurt As a Jewish child I was called a “Zhidovka” and was told daily to go and live in Israel Children and teachers made fun of me and my school experience was torture I developed a stutter as a result of the verbal and physical abuse I endured and my parents had to take me out of the school for my own safety They tried to intervene and speak with the school officials I was now branded by my fellow students as a “tattletale” and the physical abuse continued asking myself what did I deserve to be treated in such a way What made me so different from the other children I was born in a small town of Ovruch which was primarily a “shtetl” before WWII The town had a large Jewish population until the Nazis destroyed it Only a handful of Jews managed to escape by hiding in the local forest where brave partisans helped them Jews were viewed as a threat to the livelihood of Christians Among the remaining Jewish population in my town Judaism had to be kept as a secret to prevent physical altercations My grandfather Aron would bake matzah for Passover in a hidden basement to avoid persecution by the local Christian neighbors Shabbat was observed in hiding along with the other sacred Jewish holidays America has offered me and my family a haven We can freely walk the streets and not be afraid of being verbally and physically attacked for the simple fact that we are Jewish I can light Shabbat candles and celebrate holidays without any fear I can wear my Magen David with pride and show the world that I am Jewish and proud I don’t have to fear for the safety of my family as I know that I am protected I work as a legal assistant/paralegal in a law firm in New York City in the government relations group I was determined to provide these families a haven like the one offered to me and my family I was able to forgive and put my pain aside after all the antisemitism I endured in Ukraine I looked passed it all and wholeheartedly wanted to help each mother and child that I could I got in touch with an organization that helped mothers and children find housing in Europe introduced me to her circle of generous friends who were helping to find housing for the Ukrainian refugees I told her my story and how I was seeking help for a mother and her two children She helped me find a safe home with all the amenities at no cost I successfully helped Katya and her two children to enter Austria where she and her children are safe from the Russian aggression With the help of Amanda and her friends, along with hundreds of Europeans who generously and selflessly opened their hearts and households to Ukrainian refugees, I was able to transport over 20 families, mostly mothers and children, to safe harbors of Europe. Each family’s transport faced many obstacles, requiring meticulous timing as cities were being bombed constantly I experienced sleepless nights and too many WhatsApp chats with families and their hosts I can’t describe how wonderful it felt to receive photos and messages of gratitude from mothers who were crying and thanking me for saving them and their children Amanda is a guardian angel that came into my life as a stroke of luck unconditional love for people and generosity has helped so many families in need And the tremendous kindness of the host families in Germany France and Czech Republic who opened their homes gives me hope in humanity their children go to day care centers and schools at no additional cost and they are being helped financially by the cities where they reside The pain and suffering Ukrainians are enduring is heart wrenching Fast forward seven months and my refugee work has extended to helping newly-arrived Ukrainian refugees in New York Most of them are mothers and children as their husbands are not allowed to leave the country as they drafted to fight in the war As a Jewish woman I believe it is my duty to help people in need and with God’s help I pledge to keep doing what I can as long as I am able to Anna immigrated to the United States in 1996 with her parents and grandparents New York where she is a happily married mother to two boys and currently working as a paralegal/legal assistant in the government relations group law firm in New York City Anna studied in a yeshiva of Nefesh Academy in Brooklyn She was an honor student and valedictorian Anna graduated from University of Phoenix in 2008 with a degree in Social Work She is currently serving as Vice President of District 22 Community Education Council Thank you for signing up for the aish.com free newsletter traffic is planned to be opened on the rebuilt bridge over the Irpin River on the R-02 Kyiv-Ivankiv-Ovruch highway About this informed Ruslan Nychik head of the Service for Reconstruction and Development of Infrastructure in the Kyiv region In order to ensure logistics between Kyiv and populated areas of the Vyshgorod district a temporary road was first established along it work on the capital repair of the bridge began Repair work on the bridge over the Irpin River the contractor completed the main works on the bridge: pile foundations and supports were installed; the beams of the span structure are arranged; concreted monolithic reinforced concrete slab; expansion joints are arranged on the bridge; drainage systems were installed; a curb stone is installed; a bicycle-pedestrian path and a sidewalk have been arranged; a washing and barrier fence has been installed," said Nychik works are underway to install waterproofing of the roadway of the bridge after which the lower layer of asphalt concrete will be installed The 156-meter-long bridge will have two traffic lanes Autonomous lighting will work on the bridge and approaches A new bridge was opened over the Irpin River instead of the one blown up in February 2022 In the Kyiv region, the repair of the railway bridge over the Irpin River was completed +380 (44) 465 53 41 +380 (67) 638 76 00 hello@pragmatika.media https://pragmatika.media Metropolitan Epifaniy of Kyiv and All Ukraine visited the Eparchy of Zhytomyr and Ovruch the Metropolitan presided over the Divine Liturgy and performed the rite of consecration of the church paintings The Primate of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Ukraine was accompanied by Metropolitan Simeon of Vinnytsia and Bar Metropolitan Mykhailo of Vinnytsia and Tulchyn Metropolitan Oleksandr of Pereiaslav and Vyshneve Archbishop Matthiy of Volodymyr and Novovolynsk Archbishop Volodymyr of Zhytomyr and Polissia Archbishop Mytrofan of Kharkiv and Slobozhan Representatives of local authorities and numerous believers prayed during the service the Metropolitan delivered a sermon and offered a special prayer to the Lord during these troubled times for Ukraine the Metropolitan emphasized that “the church whether during the service or throughout the day a gateway that opens heaven on earth.” Then he referred to the importance of the icons saying “So we affirm our commitment to Orthodox Christian doctrine and the dogmatic decrees of the Seventh Ecumenical Council we honor and glorify the incarnation of the Son of God as true and salvific opening the path to deification for all who believe.” Prayers were also offered during the service for the brave soldiers defending Ukraine for the government and the Ukrainian people and for the souls of all fallen defenders of the Motherland and civilians who have perished during the conflict Metropolitan Epifaniy bestowed upon Bishop Paisius the Order of the Archangel Michael received the Primate’s cross and the Order of the Archangel Michael Church awards were also presented to the generous benefactors of the diocese the Patriarchate of Jerusalem solemnly celebrated the Sunday of the Myrrh-Bearing Women... Archbishop Elpidophoros of America celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Monastery of the Theotokos.. it was announced that two Roman Catholic institutions in Bavaria have decided to jointly.. A car once used by Pope Francis during his 2014 visit to Bethlehem is being transformed into a mobile.. the Monastery of Saint Vlash in Albania hosted a festal Divine Liturgy on the.. Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece presided over the festal Great Vespers at the historic.. (function() { window.mc4wp = window.mc4wp || { listeners: [] cb) { window.mc4wp.listeners.push( { event : evt callback: cb } ); } } }})(); © 2023 OrthodoxTimes.com - All rights reserved Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website These cookies do not store any personal information Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website Ukraine is starting to rebuild parts of its country even as Russia's missiles continue to fall and threaten to undo any progress made New projects include a kindergarten being remade with a new bomb shelter in a symbol of how Ukraine is repairing before the war even ends but how it also can't ignore the dangers still facing its citizens Russia's missile attacks across Ukraine have only increased over the past few months killing civilians and destroying buildings But Ukraine and its backers say work to repair and rebuild should not wait until the war is over They point to the needs of the tens of millions of people that remained in the country as well as the hope and motivation that Ukrainians get from seeing their nation reconstructed despite the risk that they will be destroyed anew described seeing roads rebuilt in the northeastern city of Kharkiv as something that gave her strength: "I rebuild myself after every missile strike," she told Insider "All these rebuildings give hope for future — calm and peaceful." Ukraine has even bragged about just how fast it can repaired after an attack: Even so, there is a growing realisation that rebuilding the country is likely to cost hundreds of billions of dollars much of the money flowing into Ukraine is going to military needs there is increasing attention on repairing parts of the country now and some of Ukraine's backers have been convinced to support projects that are not directly related to the war effort Ukraine's neighbor and one of its biggest allies during the war is helping with multiple rebuilding projects described to Insider how Estonia was initially skeptical about some of the projects Ukraine wanted to rebuild given how quickly they could be destroyed again But Ukraine convinced it they were necessary "You cannot wait just at the end of the war or the end of active fighting," Kuusk said in the town of Ovruch in the northern region of Zhytomyr is expected to be complete by the end of the year Kuusk said Estonia picked the kindergarten as one of the sites to help rebuild because "we wanted to help the most vulnerable groups of society." is to create a modular building similar to many kindergartens in Estonia because of the need to include a bomb shelter Work is now underway, with Estonia's foreign minister laying the cornerstone in August. Kuusk said he hopes Estonia's work in Zhytomyr will also help Ukraine by encouraging other financers. Oleksandra Azarkhina, Ukraine's deputy infrastructure minister, told Insider that Ukraine wants to rebuild facilities like kindergartens so that people can still have normal lives, despite the war. But she also pointed to the psychological effect such rebuilding can have: "It's also symbolic. It keeps you sane." One Zhytomyr resident, Sofiia Zinchuk, told Insider she felt "wonderful" when she heard the kindergarten would be built. Azarkhina, the minister, described the rebuilding as an act of protest against Russia's invasion and the bombs that are still falling across the country. "We understand that Russians are doing that because they're failing on the front line and are trying to make us less resilient by influencing civilians," she said. Liubov Tsybulska, the founder of Ukraine's Center for Strategic Communication and Information Security, said repairs being done near her home in Kyiv give her hope. "It feels very right. It shows that we're not going to comply with destructions and inconveniences," she told Insider. "It's a signal to the Russians also. We will not surrender and we're not afraid." Additional reporting by Pavel Polityuk and Natalia Zinets in Kyiv; writing by Pavel Polityuk; editing by Giles Elgood Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab , opens new tab Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts. , opens new tabScreen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. © 2025 Reuters. All rights reserved Xigashada Sawirka, Wasaaradda difaaca Ruushka Tirakoobku waa qiyaastii afar meelood meel tirada dadka dalka Ukraine. Xafiiska Qaramada Midoobay u qaabilsan xuquuqul Insaanka, ayaa sheegay in ugu yaraan 902 qof oo rayid ah lagu dilay dalka Ukraine sabtidii 19-kii Maarso, kadib duullaankii Ruushka ee dalkaasi. Qaramada Midoobay, ayaa intaa ku dartey in tirada dhabta ah ee dhimashadu ay aad u adag tahay. Xafiiska dacwad oogaha guud ee Ukraine, ayaa sheegay in 112 carruur ah la dilay. Ra’iisul Wasaaraha Soomaaliya Maxamed Xuseen Rooble, ayaa u hambalyeyay Maxamed Xuseen Maxamed oo xubin ka noqday Guddiga Doorashada ee Hirshabelle kaas oo badalaya Axmed Xasan Diini, waxa uuna faraya in dhamaan Guddiyada doorashooyinka ay ku shaqeeyaan habraacyada iyo heshiisyada Doorashada ilaaliyaanna kala danbaynta. Ra’iisul Wasaaraha oo khadka taleefanka kula hadlay Madaxwaynaha Hirshabeelle Cali Guudlaawe ayay ka wada hadleen in kuraasta Xildhibaannada ee taalla Baladwayne loogu tartamo si furan isla markaana aan shaqsi gaar ah loo xirin. Dhanka kale Guddoomiyaha Guddiga Doorashada Hirshabelle Axmed Xasan Diini ee xilka laga qaaday ayaa sheegay in uu weli yahay Guddoomiyaha Gudiga, wuxuuna yiri “ Maamulka hirshabelle ayaa caqabad ku ah doorashada, faragalin toos ah ayayna ku hayaan” Wasaaradda difaaca ee Ruushka ayaa sheegtay in ay dishay tobaneeyo “calooshood u shaqeystayaal ah” kadib markii gantaal lagu weeraray xarun tababar oo ku taal galbeedka Ukraine, sida ay ku warantay wakaalada wararka ee RIA ee ay dowladdu maamusho. Maj Gen Igor Konashenkov, oo ah afhayeenka wasaaradda, ayaa sheegay in in ka badan 100 askari oo Yukreeniyaan ah iyo "calooshood u shaqeystayaal ajnabi ah" la dilay ka dib markii "gantaalka hawada sarreeya" uu ku dhacay saldhigga Ukraine ee u dhow Ovruch ee gobolka Zhytomyr. Madaxweynaha Dowladda Hirshabeelle Mudane Cali Guudlaawe Xuseen ayaa xilkii Gudoomiyenimo iyo xubinimada Gudiga Hirgalinta Doorashada Dowladda Hirshabeelle ka qaaday Mudane Axmed Xasan Diini.Waxaana Xubinimada Gudiga loo Magacaacabay Mudane Maxamed Xuseen Maxamed ( Waadi ) Saynisyahanno ayaa isticmaalaya tiknoogiyadda "AI" si ay u kala saaraan "hadalka" xayawaanadda, waxay saynisyahannadda awood u heleen in ay abuuraan nidaamyo, tusaale ahaan, lagu ogaado dhawaaqa nibiriga si ay maraakiibta u dhow uga digtoonaadaan shilalna u galin ama aysan isugu dhicin nibiriga iyo markabka. Nidaamkan ayaan weli awood dhammeystiran u yeelanin in uu si buuxda u garto hadallada xayawaanadda laakin mustaqbalka Saynisyahanada ayaa ku rajo wayn in ay suura gal noqon doonto. Ukraine ayaa Sabtidii ugu baaqday Shiinaha in ay ku biiraan reer galbeedka si ay u cambaareeyaan duulaanka uu Ruushka ku qaaday. Ma jirto wax calaamad ah oo muujinaya in Shiinuhu uu ku dhow yahay inuu ka tago Ruushka. Beijing ayaa isku dayeysay in ay ka fogaato khilaafka diblomaasiyadeed ee Ukraine, iyada oo dooratay in ay ka aamusto codbixin Qaramada Midoobay ay ku cambaaraysay duulaanka Ruushka. Moscow ayaa waydiisatay Shiinaha qalab milatari oo lagu taageerayo duulaanka Ukraine, sida uu sheegay sarkaal Mareykan ah oo ay soo xigatay warbaahinta. Shiinuhu waxa uu wararkaasi ku tilmaamay kuwa been abuur ah”. Ruushka ayaa maalinta 24-aad duqeymo ku wada magaalooyinka Ukraine. Waa kuwan Sawiradii ugu danmbeeyay ee laga sooqaaday gudaha Ukarine. Boris Johnson ayaa lagu dhaleeceeyay inuu barbardhigay halganka dadka reer Ukraine ee dagaalka kula jira duulaanka Ruushka iyo dadka ku nool Britain ee u codeynaya Brexit ama ka bixitaanka Midowga Yurub. Hadaladda Mr Boris Johnson ayaa caro ka dhex abuuray siyaasiyiinta UK iyo kuwa Yurub labaduba. Donald Tusk, madaxweynihii hore ee Midowga Yurub, ayaa hadaladaladan ku tilmaamay kuwo meel ka dhac ah. Rai'sulwasaaraha UK ayaa hadaladan sheegay maalintii Sabtidii aheyd mar uu khudbad ka jeedinayay shirkii gu'ga ee xisbiga Konserfatifka oo ka dhacayay Blackpool . Dad ku cibaadaysanayay masaajid ku yaala dalka Kanada ayaa xakameeyay nin la sheegay in uu faas watay oo uu ku weeraray Masaajid kuyaala dalka Kanada salaadii subax ee shalay oo Sabti aheyd, sida ay booliisku sheegeen. Ninkan oo 24 jir ayay boolisku ka xireen goobta. Booliska ayay arrintan u suura gashay, kadib markii mid kamid ah jamaacadii halkaa ku tukaneysay uu kahortagay ninkan, faaska uwatayna uu ka qaaday kadibna gacmaha kahaayay ilaa ay Boolisku uga imaanayeen, sidaana lagu xiray. Sida uu warbaahinta u sheegay Imaamka Masaajidkaasi ,qaar kamid ah dadkii halkaa ku cibaadeysanayay ayay dhaawacyo fudfud soo gaareen. Dhacdadan ayaa waxaa ilaa hadda ka hadlay Rai'sulwasaaraha Kanada Justin Tredue wuxuuna aad u maanay sida geesinimada leh ee ninkan weerarka soo qaaday looga horagtagay , wuuxuna sheegay in arintan aysan ka turjumeynin dhaqanka Dadka ree Kanada aadna uu uga xun yahay. Muuqaaladii ugu dambeyay ee Putin ayaa dhaliyay hadal hayn cusub oo ku saabsan caafimaadka madaxweynaha Ruushka ka dib markii la arkay isagoo dhinac u liicaya marka uu soconayo. Madaxweynaha Belarus ayaa beeniyay wararkaasi, waxaa uuna sheegay in wararkaasi aysan waxba ka jirin oo uu madaxweynaha Caafimaadkiisa aad u wanaagsan yahay. Sidoo kale wararkan la xirira caafimaadka Putin ayaa waxaa horay u beeniyay Aqalka Kremlinka ee laga maamulo Ruushka. Madaxweynaha Belarus ayaa sidoo kale sheegay in cunaqabateynadan dheeraadka ah ee Ruushka iyo xulafadiisa lagu soo rogay ay aduunka qarka usaarayaan dagaalka sedexad ee aduunka. Madaxweynaha maamul goboleedka Puntland ee Soomaaliya, Maxamed Saciid Cabdullaah Deni, ayaa ku dhawaaqey inuu u sharaxan yahay jagada Madaxweynenimada Soomaalia, sida u shaaciyey afhayeenka madaxtooyada Puntland, Jaamac Daparani. Saciid Dani ayaa Soomaaliya ka soo qabtay xilal kala duwan oo ay kamid tahay wasiirka qorsheynta ee dowladdii Xassan sheikh iyo xildhibaan dowladda federaalka sannadkii 2012-kii, waxaana siyaasad ahaan la sheegaa in uu aad ugu dhawaa dowladdii Xassan Sheekh Maxamuud. Saciid Dani oo aan Soomaaliya ka bixin ayaa waxaa uu deegaanada Puntland ka hirgeliyay shirkado ganacasi, waxaana siyaasadda uu kusoo biiray sannadkii 2002. Dib u soo nooleynta heshiiskii taariikhiga ahaa ee Niyukliyeerka ee Iran, ayaa waxey gacan ka geysan kartaa wax ka qabashada sare u kaca ku yimid qiimaha shidaalka, ee ay dhalisay cuna qabateynta lagu soo rogey Ruushka, ayuu yiri wasiirka arrimaha dibadda ee Ireland. Simon Coveney, ayaa waxaa uu sheegay in heshiis cusub uu jiro, kaasoo uu rajeynayo in la gaari karayo daba yaaqada toddobaadkan, si dalka Iran fursad loo siiyo in marka ay suuqyada caalamiga galaangal ku yeeshaan. "Waxaanu ku dhaw nahay inaan gaarno heshiis," sidaasi waxaa sheegay Coveney, oo la hadley BBC-da, isla markaana ah fududeeyaha Golaha Ammaanka ee Qaramada Midoobay ee heshiiska niyukliyeerka. Heshiiskan cusub, ayaa qafiifin doonna cuna qabateyntaas, si ay Iran uga tanaasusho hammigii ahaa iney sameysato hubka niyukliyeerka. Ingiriiska iyo Midowga Yurub, ayaa baadi goobaya jihooyin kale, oo ay uga maarmi karayaan ku tiirsanaan shaha shidaalka Ruushka, si ay uga fal celiyaan duullaanka Madaxweyne Putin ku qaadey dalka Ukraine. Maxamed Cabdulraxmaan Nadiif, ayaa ku guuleystay kursiga tirsigiisu yahay #124, iyadoo kursigan uu dhaliyey loolan aad u adag. Xildhibaankan ayaa ku fadhiyey kursigan intii u dhaxeysay sanadihii 2004-tii illaa iyo 2012-kii. Wuxuu xildhibaan kasoo noqday dowladdii Kumeel gaarka aheyd ee lagu soo dhisay shirkii Mbagathi ee dalka Kenya. Afarii sano ee u danbeysay kursigan waxaa ku fadhiyey Cabdulraxmaan Kulmiye Xirsi "Cabdulraxmaan Dheere". In Zhytomyr region, Russian occupation forces completely destroyed the village of Pryvar in the Ovruch community, shooting it from a helicopter. This was reported by Ovruch City Council was shot from a helicopter.The village is completely destroyed" because the villagers were hiding in basements the population of the village of Pryvar is about 50 people as a result of a missile strike on the territory of the Rakivshchyna chief district 10 private houses were damaged (windows were broken У вас нет аккаунта? Создать аккаунт has now opened a new building with four classrooms providing facilities for a further 80 children The kindergarten now provides up to 160 children in Ovruch the opportunity to start their education in a safe and inspiring environment "Supporting the country and children of Ukraine is the least we can do It is important that we also send a signal to our partners: a strong and protected Ukraine is a strong and protected Europe," said Estonian Minister of Social Protection Signe Riisalo (Eesti 200) at the opening UNICEF estimates that more than 5 million children in Ukraine have been cut off from school because of the war and thousands of children are at risk of losing years of education and social development executive director of the Estonian Center for International Development (ESTDEV) said kindergartens and schools provide children with the confidence they need for development and missing out can have lifelong consequences "It is impossible to simply postpone children's education and return to it when other more pressing issues have been resolved we risk the future of an entire generation," said Jäärats it is especially meaningful that Estonia's first reconstruction project is a kindergarten We firmly believe in the future of Ukraine and want to give the children of Ovruch the opportunity to learn play and communicate with their peers in the same conditions as their counterparts in Estonia." The Estonian government provided €4.5 million in funding to finance the construction of the Ovruch kindergarten Iceland's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Government of Flanders also supported the construction of the kindergarten The project was managed by ESTDEV in close cooperation with the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ministry of Education and Ministry of Culture and the Estonian Embassy in Kyiv to ensure the rapid implementation of the project in Ukraine.  from the director of the kindergarten to the cooks was trained in Estonia and received an overview of modern teaching methods and best practices in early childhood education in Estonia all the other kindergarten managers in Ovruch and education officials from the Zhytomyr Oblast have received training in Estonia through ESTDEV.  ESTDEV also raised €100,000 in funding from the Estonian private sector to support the kindergarten's construction "The construction of the Ovruch kindergarten is the largest public-private partnership project in Estonian development cooperation to date We are grateful to the Estonian companies Harmet and Nordecon who worked with short deadlines to quickly hand over the kindergarten to the city of Ovruch Many thanks also to all the companies who offered their services and products free of charge," said Jäärats "With the construction of the kindergarten Estonia has sent a strong signal that reconstruction in Ukraine is possible and essential to give Ukrainians hope and reaffirm our support to see that the gruesome war shows no signs of abating," Jäärats added The Estonian kindergarten in Ovruch is the first educational institution to be completed as part of the reconstruction of Ukraine The building of the village council and the building of an animal complex were destroyed as a result of enemy shelling in the village of Gladkovychi, Zhytomyr region. Yuriy Tarasyuk, a head of the Korosten District Military Administration, reported bombers destroyed the building of the village council of the Gladkovychi territorial community of the Korosten district and the building of the animal complex in the Ovruch territorial community of the Korosten district," Tarasyuk said One civilian was injured and is now in hospital. According to Tarasyuk the situation in the Korosten district is controlled and at the same time difficult Isolated attacks or explosions can be heard near Malyn A kindergarten in Ukraine's Zhytomyr region will open in June after the 170-day construction target was met on Monday The facility is now being furnished by the Estonian Center for International Development (ESTDEV) Estonia has already started its reconstruction efforts in Ukraine and the country selected the Zhytomyr region as the area to focus its efforts Estonian companies started building a modular kindergarten for the town of Ovruch There are now plans to expand the space for up to 160 children Ukrainian students studying at the Estonian Academy of Arts have designed the wall graphics for the new kindergarten Several unofficial records were set throughout the kindergarten's construction, said Tarmo Needo ESTDEV's head of Infrastructure Development Projects in Ukraine the detail plan for the kindergarten was completed in just 1.5 months and deliver modules in less than 170 days is a significant achievement of which Estonian producers of wooden prefabricated modular buildings should be very proud." Needo added adding Estonia has proved itself to be a reliable partner The project was a cooperation between the Estonian private sector CEO of the modular building manufacturer and partner, Harmet OÜ said the project's greatest challenge was transporting the modules to Ukraine "Our company has sent thousands of modules to different countries but never to a country with military operations," Tamm said "The situation at the border can change in minutes We had to take 34 trucks across the border but today the modules have arrived and installed according to plan." The Ovruch kindergarten is one of 15 which the Zhytomyr region has requested assistance from foreign partners Estonia is also involved in the restoration of the Malyn Bridge An Estonian-built and funded kindergarten opened in Ukraine's Zhytomyr region on Friday and Minister of Foreign Affairs Margus Tsahkna (Eesti 200) attended the official opening ceremony The children's center in Ovruch is Estonia's first reconstruction project in Ukraine and was completed last month "I was moved from the bottom of my heart to open the new kindergarten in Zhytomyr," the minister wrote on social media "Ukrainan children are our priority and we have to offer them a safe future." who is also visiting Ukraine this week and met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday "This is testimony to that reconstruction can & should happen already now," he said The building of the kindergarten was funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs implemented by the Estonian International Development Cooperation Center (ESTDEV) and designed and built by Estonian companies €2.7 million was allocated for the first stage Former foreign minister Urmas Reinsalu (Isamaa) laid the cornerstone earlier this year Estonia is focusing its reconstruction efforts on the Zhytomyr region and has several other projects in development Estonia has already pledged approximately €25 million to help rebuild Ukraine – next year's budget permitting head of the Ukrainian Development and Cooperation Program at the Estonian Center for International Development (ESTDEV) about plans The cost of reconstruction and recovery in Ukraine after the first year of the full-scale invasion was estimated to be €383 billion, according to the World Bank Group Seven months later there is still no end in sight While politicians in Brussels and beyond argue over how to finance rebuilding with Russian frozen assets several countries have already started laying bricks and mortar Estonia allocated €8 million for the rebuilding program in 2023 with a further €1 million from the European Commission and an additional €2 million in humanitarian aid it should be pointed out that next year's budget has not yet been passed and is still stuck in the Riigikogu) After Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy requested countries choose a region to help redevelop in May 2022, Estonia chose Zhytomyr Oblast due to pre-existing connections and quickly got to work.  "Estonia has been active in Ukraine since 1998 deputy head of the Estonian Embassy in Kyiv until earlier this year Priorities include restoring war-torn infrastructure; supporting Ukraine's integration into the EU; accelerating digital development; improving the quality and availability of primary and vocational education; and strengthening democracy and it is hoped they will be completed by the end of 2024 As taxpayers' money is funding the reconstruction efforts Estonian businesses are also offered the opportunity to participate in projects by applying for tenders "This is quite a unique model we're operating," Gering said adding it also helps promote "business diplomacy" and bring companies into the Ukrainian market Estonian companies will work with Ukrainian companies on the ground to create the final product. For example, parts of the kindergarten were constructed in Estonia and then taken to Ukraine and handed over to the local authorities Gerling says this benefits both sides: "Our strategic goal is to help Ukraine by partnering with Estonian companies to help them rebuild quickly and efficiently." Involving Estonian private businesses also helps keep public trust high at home and helps mitigate corruption in Ukraine This is important as several charities that raised money for humanitarian and military aid are currently being investigated Estonia is not telling Ukraine what it needs or giving it what it thinks it should have Gering said there were discussions with ministries and the local administration about how to move forward help does not stop once the building work is finished "We're not talking only about concrete walls and the roof the experts who are going to work within this building we're also developing capacity for how to administer the institution," he said this means sharing Estonia's best practices with early years education One example Gering highlights is matching the kindergarten with an Estonian startup that simplifies meal planning for educational institutions "This is another example of how we digitalize services and also bring the Estonian business model to Ukraine," he said. The two countries already have a long history of cooperation on this subject and the e-Governance Academy has been working to digitize Ukraine since 2017 But why start reconstruction now when no area of the country is safe from Russian attacks Gering compares the situation with Estonia sending 100 javelin missiles to Ukraine before the onset of the full-scale invasion The aim was to encourage other countries to help and support Kyiv "And I think the same approach goes for reconstruction energy infrastructure and why should one wait until the end of the war when the need for reconstruction is here today?" he said It is sometimes hard to understand why others are lagging behind although Estonia is not the only country to have started work and Denmark also have projects in progress Gering said many international funds and donor organizations are stepping in to build temporary solutions One reason is that these structures can become permanent Speaking about his previous posting at the Estonian Embassy in Georgia he said some refugees from the war in 2008 are still living in temporary homes 15 years later "So why should we create some IDP [internally displaced persons] communities somewhere in the suburbs or in the middle of nowhere when we could really put effort into building something permanent?" he asked strengthening democracy and democratic institutions" are also priorities for Estonia One strand is helping Ukraine reform its institutions and meet the targets needed for the EU accession process Ukrainian officials are keen to learn from Estonia's own experience which took place between 1997-2003 "Those people who were negotiating integration and agreements with the EU Commission they are still [working] here and they can help Ukraine to reform," Gering said Estonia put together a training program for Ukrainian civil servants after a request from Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine Olha Stefanishyna. Two groups have already completed the course they always know that they have backing from us that if they are stuck somewhere they can always come back to us and we can think together creatively about how to make an impact on reforms and how to develop," he said Asked if Estonia's commitment is time-limited, Gering mentioned Estonia's foreign and security policy "guiding principle" of "never alone again" which it adopted after the restoration of independence in 1991 and as many international organizations as possible to make sure it has a say in decision-making at every level Since the start of the full-scale invasion on February 24 Estonia's message has been extended to Ukraine We will do whatever we can do to help them politically and practically on the ground," he said