Explosions rock Kyiv amid arrival of African peace delegation

Kyiv [Ukraine], June 16 : As the conflict between Russia and Ukraine continues to grow intense, the Russian Kalibr missiles, according to the Ukrainian air force, were launched from the Black Sea and were "heading north" towards Kyiv on Friday, Al Jazeera reported.

As the Russian missiles were fired, an air raid alert was immediately issued in Kyiv.

The Russian strikes on Kyiv came amid the arrival of an African delegation to Ukraine on Friday for a visit to mediate an end to the ongoing conflict between Moscow and Kyiv.

Later, the military administration in Kyiv said that Ukrainian forces had activated air defence systems outside of the capital and asked citizens to remain in bunkers, reported Al Jazeera.

The Russia-Ukraine war that started on February 24, 2022, has taken numerous lives and the war continues to escalate between the two nations even now.

Meanwhile, according to Ukrainian air force spokesman Yuriy Ihnat, Ukraine plans to send several dozen combat pilots to train on US-made F-16 fighter jets.

An international coalition led by NATO allies the Netherlands and Denmark is leading efforts to train pilots and support staff, maintain aircraft, and ultimately deliver the F-16s, according to Al Jazeera.

Ukraine has argued again and time again that it requires brand-new Western aircraft to adequately challenge Russian aviation superiority.

Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman of the Russian Foreign Ministry recently on Thursday told a news briefing that Russia's hypothetical use of nuclear weapons may happen exclusively and will be possible only for defensive purposes, reported TASS.

The hypothetical use of nuclear weapons by Russia comes after Ukrainian forces are claiming some success in their offensives in the south and east, while Russia said its troops repelled Ukrainian offensive operations in the Zaporizhzhia region.

The Russian Foreign Ministry has claimed of using nuclear weapons in extraordinary circumstances like for defensive purposes, reported Russia's news agency.

Zakharova said, "Russia's nuclear deterrence policy is strictly defensive. The hypothetical use of nuclear weapons is clearly limited by extraordinary circumstances within the framework of strictly defensive purposes."

She also noted that Moscow was fully committed to the principle of the inadmissibility of nuclear war.