Ukraine says strikes on Kyiv 'a message' to African delegation

Ukraine said a series of strikes on Kyiv on Friday were meant as a "message" to African leaders visiting on a peace mission.

Russian President Vladimir "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," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported an explosion in the city Friday after air raid sirens sounded and air defences were activated, as a group of African leaders were set to visit.

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Klitschko wrote on social media that there was an explosion in the central Podil district. "Missiles are still flying towards Kyiv," he said.

A delegation of African presidents and senior officials on a peace mission in Ukraine on Friday visited Bucha, the site of an alleged massacre by Russian troops.

South African "President Cyril Ramaphosa and other African Heads of State and Government participating in the African Leaders Peace Mission at the St Andrew's Orthodox Church in the City of Bucha", the South African presidency tweeted along with a video of the visit.