Vladimir Putin delivers a speech at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on Thursday. Photo: RIA Novosti/REUTERS
Russia launched missile strikes on Kiev at the same time as the arrival of a delegation of African leaders with a new peace initiative.
Ukrainian Air Force said that on Friday morning they shot down 12 missiles, including six hypersonic missiles «Dagger». Three people were injured in the Kyiv region, but there were no reports of casualties in the city itself.
Cyril Ramaphosa, President of South Africa, as well as the leaders of Senegal, Zambia and the Comoros, the current head of the African Union, arrived for talks with Volodymyr Zelensky before the air raid sirens sounded.
The timing of the Russian strike was surprising, as Moscow has been trying to improve relations with African countries since the beginning of the war. . An African delegation is due to visit Putin in St. Petersburg on Saturday.
A spokesman for Mr. Ramaphosa appeared to be inquiring if there had been any attack.
“Weird, we didn’t hear sirens or explosions,” Vincent Magvenia said. 'African peacekeeping mission proceeds as planned'
'Biggest missile strike on Kiev in recent weeks'
After the strike, the leaders visited Bucha, a suburb of Kiev where Russian troops killed Ukrainian civilians in 2022, before meeting with Mr. Zelensky in the afternoon.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said the attack showed Moscow's attitude towards the African initiative. «Putin 'builds confidence' by launching the biggest missile attack on Kyiv in weeks,» he tweeted. «Russian missiles are a signal to Africa: Russia wants more war, not peace.»
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: «President Putin was and remains open to any contacts to discuss possible scenarios for solving the Ukrainian problem» .
Africa has taken the brunt of the global inflation and food shortages caused by the war, and the presidents are likely to push for a reopening of a grain deal that allows Ukraine's wheat to be exported.
No other details were released. publicly, but a document seen by Reuters says their mission is to «promote the importance of peace and encourage parties to agree to a diplomatic negotiation process.»
They are expected to offer several possible confidence-building measures, including the withdrawal of Russian troops, the removal of Russian nuclear weapons from Belarus, the easing of sanctions, and the lifting of the International Criminal Court's warrant for Putin's arrest.
Allegations that South Africa is helping Russia are military action
Russia has stepped up its efforts to reach out to African and other governments in the global south to counterbalance its isolation from the West following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
South Africa has come into conflict over particular criticism amid allegations in helping the Russian war effort.
The US ambassador in Pretoria last month publicly accused the South African government of selling arms to Russia. Mr. Ramaphosa denied the accusations.
The sanctioned Russian vessel Lady R. was seen apparently in December taking in supplies at a South African military port.
South Africa is due to host a summit of the BRICS group of countries, including Putin, in August, but is also a member of the International Criminal Court and must arrest him.
It is unclear how this dilemma will be resolved.< /p>
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