KYIV: Air raid sirens blared, followed by explosions in Kyiv on Friday as African leaders were beginning a peace mission here in hopes of a mediation between Ukraine and Russia.
The peace delegation, which included leaders from South Africa, Senegal, Zambia, the Comoros and Egypt, said it was going ahead with plans to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later on Friday, before heading for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg on Saturday.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko informed that the explosions happened in the central Podil district.
The smoke trail of two missiles in the sky above the capital was seen by reporters who were in Kyiv to cover the African peace mission. However, It could not be ascertained whether those missiles had been fired by Ukrainian air defences or by Russia.
The African leaders arrived in Kyiv in a convoy of cars and had to enter a hotel in order to use its air-raid shelter.
Later, an all-clear was issued for Kyiv, and the South African presidency said in a tweet that the mission was "proceeding well and as planned".
Ukraine's air force stated that six "Kinzhal" ballistic missiles had been downed, along with six cruise missiles and two drones. City authorities said no reports of deaths or serious damage were received so far, but local police reported a number of casualties.
Friday’s air attack was the newest of countless others launched by Russia since it invaded Ukraine in February 2022. But ever since Ukraine began preparations for an ongoing counteroffensive, Moscow has intensified its attacks.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba wrote on Twitter; "Putin 'builds confidence' by launching the largest missile attack on Kyiv in weeks, exactly amid the visit of African leaders to our capital. Russian missiles are a message to Africa: Russia wants more war, not peace."
The members of the peace mission, including South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Senegalese President Macky Sall, are planning to propose a series of "confidence building measures" during initial mediation efforts, according to a draft framework document.
The document specifies that the mission’s objective is promotion of peace and encouragement to both the parties to agree to a process led by diplomacy.
A withdrawal of Russian troops, removal from Belarus of Russian tactical nuclear weapons, suspending the implementation of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant against Putin, and relaxation in the Western sanctions imposed on Russia, could include measures in the document, it is indicated.
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