KYIV, Ukraine, Jan 19, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - Schools in western Ukraine are rolling out rifle and pistol shooting practice using interactive software, a regional official said Thursday, signalling how Russia's nearly two-year invasion has impacted school life.

The war has upended Ukraine's education system, forcing classes online as fighting destroys school facilities and officials introduce war-time curricula, including firing drills and drone piloting.

"Prykarpattia high school students will learn shooting on safe interactive systems at Defence of Ukraine classes," Governor Svitlana Onyshchuk of the western Ivano-Frankivsk region said on social media.

She said the trainings would be introduced in three dozen schools in the western region, which has enjoyed relative calm during 23 months of fighting further east.

"These systems are mobile and consist of: multimedia equipment, software and samples of weapons," she said on social media.

She said the training was part of a broader effort to "improve skills related to military and patriotic education".

Kyiv says the fighting against Russian forces has left nearly 3,500 education facilities damaged and 365 completely destroyed.