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Russia Fires Missiles on Kyiv as Ramaphosa and other African leaders visits
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa arrived in Kyiv Friday morning with other African leaders as part of an African peacekeeping
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa arrived in Kyiv Friday morning with other African leaders as part of an African peacekeeping mission to help find a resolution to the Ukrainian crisis. Ramaphosa, along with other members of the mission, including the presidents of Zambia, Comoros, and Senegal, made the journey from Poland to Kyiv by train.
Later today, the mission will engage in discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. In the afternoon, Ramaphosa will depart Kyiv and head to Saint Petersburg, where the African delegation will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday.
Also, earlier this morning, Ukraine claimed that it successfully defended against a barrage of Russian missiles, including the hypersonic Kinzhals, which were intercepted over the Kyiv region. This incident occurred as African leaders were preparing to engage in peace talks as part of a diplomatic mission.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba expressed his view that the Russian missile attack was a clear message indicating Russia’s preference for war rather than peace. The Ukrainian Air Force reported the destruction of six Kinzhals, six Kalibr cruise missiles, and two reconnaissance drones.
Dmytro Kuleba criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin for launching the largest missile attack on Kyiv in weeks, precisely during the visit of African leaders to the Ukrainian capital. Kuleba claimed that Putin’s actions undermined confidence-building efforts.
Meanwhile, the South African presidency assured that the peace mission was proceeding as planned and without any disruptions. Talks with Ukrainian President Zelensky were eagerly anticipated by the presidents of South Africa, Senegal, Zambia, and Comoros, along with representatives from Uganda, Egypt, and Congo-Brazzaville. Prior to the discussions, a part of the delegation visited Bucha, where an alleged massacre by Russian troops had taken place earlier that day.