Bucharest Nine meeting, tanks from Spain, explosions in Mariupol, shelling of Kharkiv: today's highlights

Biden meets with leaders of NATO's eastern flank

U.S. President Joe Biden attended a meeting of the Bucharest Nine in Warsaw to discuss continued support for Ukraine and its response to Russian aggression. The Bucharest Nine (B9) is made up of NATO member states from Central and Eastern Europe: Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary, and the Czech Republic.

Andrzej Duda, who hosted the extraordinary B9 summit, said that the countries should think together about the next steps, including further support for Ukraine.

Biden told the allies that the US commitment to defend NATO members is “sacred” and covers “every inch” of the Alliance's territory.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who also took part in the meeting, said that NATO allies “have never been more united”. He emphasized that Russian aggression has been going on for many years.

Occupiers fired artillery at Kherson Oblast

The Russian occupation forces opened fire with artillery on the village of Novotiahynka, Kherson Oblast. This was reported by the head of the Kherson Regional Military Administration Oleksandr Prokudin. As a result of the shelling, two elderly people died on the spot – an 81-year-old woman and a 68-year-old man.

Spain to send at least six Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine

Spain will send at least six refurbished Leopard 2A4 battle tanks to Ukraine. However, if necessary and requested by the allies, this number may increase. This was stated by Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles, cited by EFE and El Pais.

The official did not name the date of delivery, but she had previously noted that the country wants to deliver them in late March or early April.

Robles also ruled out supplying Ukraine with the country's most advanced tanks, the Leopard 2A6E (or Leopard 2E), the Spanish equivalent of the German Leopard 2 A6. The minister says they are necessary for Spain's national defense.

An explosion occurred in Mariupol

On the morning of February 22, another explosion occurred in Mariupol: a Russian ammunition depot was hit near the port. This was reported by the Mariupol City Council and the advisor to the mayor of Mariupol, Petro Andriushchenko.

The city council says that after another shell hit, the occupiers in Mariupol raised their planes.

This is not the first shell hitting Mariupol on the last day. On the night of February 22, an ammunition depot was also destroyed near the airport in the city's central district.

The city council reported at least 11 explosions on the evening of February 21. At that time, there was information about hits near the Tsentralnyi and Kalmiuskyi districts of Mariupol.

And in the morning of February 22, Andriushchenko reported a series of explosions near the village of Talakivka, near Mariupol.

Russians shelled Kharkiv

Russian troops shelled Kharkiv on the morning of February 22. This was reported by the mayor of the city, Ihor Terekhov, and the head of the regional military administration, Oleh Syniehubov.

Syniehubov reported shell hitting in the Kyivskyi district of the city. According to Terekhov, there were four strikes. Infrastructure facilities were targeted. Two people have been reported wounded.