A flurry of Russian missiles greeted a delegation of African leaders arriving in Kyiv Friday as part of a mission aiming to broker peace between Kyiv and Moscow.
The high-level diplomatic team hopes to bring to the table the voice of a continent that has badly suffered from repercussion of the Ukraine war, including by rising grain prices.
"(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," Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said.
The African delegation arrived by train from Poland on Friday morning and began their visit in Bucha, a town outside the capital that has become a symbol of the alleged war crimes carried out by Moscow.
The delegation that was later due to hold talks with Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky includes three presidents: South Africa's Cyril Ramaphosa, Senegal's Macky Sall and Zambia's Hakainde Hichilema, plus Comoros' Azali Assoumani, who heads the African Union.
Shortly after their arrival in the Kyiv region was announced, air raid sirens sounded in Kyiv and across the country, and air defences activated.
The Ukrainian Air Force said it had shot down 12 missiles including six hypersonic Kinzhal missiles.
There were no reported damage inside the city, but three people were wounded in the surrounding region, the Interior Ministry said.
- 'Russia wants more war' -
The South African president "arrived safely in Kyiv" along with other leaders, his spokesman Vincent Magwenya said in a video message on Twitter.
"We are now awaiting the commencement of talks with President Zelensky."
The leaders were set to travel on to the northwestern Russian city of Saint Petersburg and meet Putin.
Yet Ukrainian officials have voiced scepticism over the visit as they say no negotiations with Russia are possible.
"Russian missiles are a message to Africa: Russia wants more war, not peace," Kuleba said.
The head of Zelensky's presidential office, Andriy Yermak, wrote that Putin "is ready to disregard the security of foreign leaders, he doesn't really care, because he feels complete impunity."
"We remember that missiles were also flying when US President Joe Biden and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres arrived in Ukraine," he added.
The African continent has been badly hit by rising grain and fertiliser prices and the wider impact on global trade since Russia invaded Ukraine last year.
- 'Road to peace' -
The African continent has been badly hit by rising grain and fertiliser prices and the wider impact on global trade since Russia invaded Ukraine last year.
Magwenya said the leaders' mission "serves to seek a road to peace that will alleviate the suffering that is being experienced by people in Ukraine."
African countries have been divided over their response to the war, with some siding with Ukraine, while others have remained neutral or gravitated towards Moscow.
Still, analysts said the mediating effort could hope to win some concessions from the Kremlin ahead of a Russia-Africa summit next month.
Both Russia and Ukraine have stepped up their diplomatic initiatives with African countries divided over their response to the war, with Kuleba embarking on two diplomatic tours on the continent.
While invading Ukraine, Putin has portrayed Russia as a bulwark against the West, which he also accuses of blocking Russian exports of fertilisers.
South Africa has drawn scrutiny as it has refused to condemn the offensive launched by Moscow.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Friday that Russia has seen "very dynamic development recently of our relations with African states".
"This trajectory in Russia's foreign policy will continue and gain momentum," Peskov told journalists, RIA Novosti news agency reported.
The mission comes as South Africa is looking to burnish its international credentials after the White House voiced concern about its relationship with Russia.
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© Agence France-Presse
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