Russia has sent its "greetings" to the African delegation which arrived on a state visit to Kyiv with a massive attack on 16 June.

"Putin ‘builds confidence’ by launching the largest missile attack on Kyiv in weeks, exactly amid the visit of African leaders to our capital," Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine's Foreign Minister, wrote on Twitter.

The Foreign Minister believes that Russian missiles are a message to Africa that "Russia wants more war, not peace."

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.

— Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) June 16, 2023

Cyril Ramaphosa, President of South Africa, arrived in Ukraine on his way to Russia to offer peace with Russia if the International Criminal Court suspended the arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin and eased sanctions against the Russian Federation.

The Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces reported that the Russian occupiers had fired Kalibr missiles from ships in the Black Sea. An air-raid warning was issued in Ukraine. The authorities reported that air defence systems were operating in Kyiv Oblast and the capital.

The Ukrainian Air Force also issued a warning of ballistic missile threats to three regions of Ukraine.

Kyiv Mayor Vitalii Klitschko reported that an explosion occurred in the city's Podilsky district.