KYIV: At least two explosions rocked Kyiv on Friday, and air raid sirens blared as African leaders began a peace mission in the hope of mediating between Ukraine and Russia.
The peace delegation, which includes leaders from South Africa, Senegal, Zambia, Comoros, and Egypt, said it would meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy later on Friday before meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg on Saturday.
Above the capital, a smoke trail from two missiles was seen in the sky. It was unclear whether the missiles were launched by Russian or Ukrainian air defenses. The leaders were seen arriving in Kyiv in a convoy of cars and entering an air-raid bunker at a hotel.
The mission was later given the all-clear for Kyiv, and the South African presidency tweeted that it was “proceeding well and as planned.” Ukraine’s air force announced the destruction of six “Kinzhal” ballistic missiles, six cruise missiles, and two drones. So far, authorities in the city have received no reports of deaths or major damage, although police have reported an unidentified number of injured.
The air strike was the latest in a series launched by Russia since its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Moscow’s frequency has grown since Ukraine began preparing for a counteroffensive, which is currently underway.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba posted on Twitter that Putin ‘builds confidence’ by unleashing the largest missile attack on Kyiv in weeks, just as African leaders arrive in the capital. He added that Russian missiles send a message to Africa: Russia wants more war, not peace.
