Putin says Western sanctions have failed to isolate Russia

1. Sanctions on Russia have failed to isolate it and instead led to an "expansion" in its trade with "the markets of the future", President Vladimir Putin says
2. He told the St Petersburg International Economic Forum the "necolonial international system has ceased to exist"
3. Putin told the gathering that Russia has already moved tactical nuclear weapons to its ally Belarus, which neighbours Ukraine
4. African leaders are in Ukraine on a peace mission where they met President Volodymyr Zelensky
5. Ukraine's foreign minister says an air raid at the start of their visit shows Russian President Vladimir Putin wants "more war"
6. The seven African leaders, from countries including South Africa and Egypt, will head to Russia tomorrow
7. Meanwhile, a BBC investigation has found that at least 25,000 Russian soldiers have been killed in Ukraine - four times the official figure released by Moscow
8. Nato defence ministers are meeting in Brussels today

Thanks for joining us

And with that round up of today's key events and developments, we bring our live coverage to a close.

Thanks for coming along with us on what has been a busy day. It started with the stalled arrival of the African peace mission. One missile strike on Kyiv and one grounded plane later, the visit went ahead as planned - and concluded with an offer from the leaders for further engagement in the peace process. Read more about the African peace initiative here.

Also today, we saw Vladimir Putin's annual St Petersburg address, which coincided with a meeting of Nato defence ministers.

To read more about Putin's address and further details on today's developments please click here.

This page was edited by Alexandra Fouche, Jamie Whitehead, Nathan Williams and James Harness. You have been reading the words of Anna Boyd, Ece Goksedef, Thomas Mackintosh, Joshua Cheetham and Emily Atkinson.

Reuters

Zelensky welcomed an African delegation to Ukraine

Our live coverage is coming to a close - here's a reminder of the day's developments

We're wrapping up our live coverage very soon, so for now here are some of the day's biggest moments:

• A delegation of seven African leaders are in Kyiv to facilitate peace talks between Ukraine and Russia. They'll be travelling to St Petersburg tomorrow.
• The visit was interrupted by air raid sirens and explosions - which Ukraine blamed on Russian air strikes
• While meeting with the African delegation, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reportedly said peace talks would only be possible after a withdrawal of Russian troops from occupied Ukrainian territory
• During their journey to Kyiv, some members of the security team for South African President Cyril Ramaphosa were briefly held up in Poland. The director of Poland's national security department said the group didn't have permission to leave their plane with their weapons
• In Brussels, Nato defence ministers failed to reach an agreement on a defence plan, according to the Reuters news agency - officials hope an agreement can be made at the Vilnius summit in July
• During the gathering US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters that despite the alliance facing "historic challenges", Nato wouldn't be "drawn into a war of Putin's choice"
• Meanwhile, in St Petersburg, Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke at a major economic forum - predicting growth for the Russian economy, and failure for Ukraine's military counter-offensive
• Putin also said Russia had moved tactical nuclear weapons to its neighbouring ally Belarus, which shares a border with Ukraine.

No indication Russia is preparing to use nuclear weapons - Blinken

US DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Earlier we also heard from US secretary of state Anthony Blinken in Washington, where he told reporters there are no indications that Russia is preparing to use nuclear weapons.

Speaking alongside Singapore's foreign minister at the White House, he say the US sees no reason to adjust its own nuclear posture.

WATCH: Ukraine has edged closer to Nato membership - Stoltenberg

There were quite a few news conferences today. Here's a reminder of what Nato's secretary general Jens Stoltenberg said earlier.

Stoltenberg says Ukraine has moved closer to membership of the Western alliance in recent years.

Speaking at the end of the second day of the Nato Defence Ministers Council at Nato's headquarters in Brussels, he also said more decisions will be made at the next summit in Vilnius in July.

We need to make sure history does not repeat itself - Nato chief

What are the African leaders' conditions for peace?

Reuters

Cyril Ramaphosa speaks at a joint press conference in Kyiv

The press conference in Kyiv has now ended. The African mission proposed a roster of conditions to end hostilities between Russia and Ukraine.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa took the lead in outlining those demands on behalf of the seven-nation delegation.

Here's what they proposed:

• De-escalation of hostilities on both the Ukrainian and Russian sides of the conflict
• War brought to an end as soon as possible
• Free flow of grain and fertiliser
• A return of children removed from Ukraine to their homes
• A security guarantee for all countries
• A prisoner of war exchange
• Post-war reconstruction

The mission is due to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg on Saturday.

Ramaphosa said leader's discussions with Putin would be about respect for the United Nation's Charter.

Tomorrow we will listen to Vladimir Putin - Ramaphosa

Another question for South African President Cyril Ramaphosa who is asked if he is convinced Russia committed war crimes?

"We came here to listen and recognise what the people of Ukraine have gone through," he says.

"We went to Bucha and saw what happened there, I have been told investigations are ongoing and from where we stand that process should be allowed to go on."

Ramaphosa says tomorrow the group of African leaders are going to listen to Vladimir Putin, then they will come up with a summary.

Russia has denied committing war crimes.

Ramaphosa calls for de-escalation on both sides of conflict

Reuters

More now from South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who is speaking at the joint press conference with President Volodymyr Zelensky and other Africa leaders.

He says the African "Peace Initiative" delegation was prepared to participate in further engagement about the Ukraine peace pact.

Ramaphosa says the peace mission argued that there must be de-escalation on both the Russian and Ukrainian sides of the conflict. He also calls for the war to end as soon as possible.

The free flow of grain and fertiliser was also emphasised as a condition for peace.

His comments ware echoed by his fellow delegates, including Zambian President Hakainde Hichlema who say the continent of Africa must contribute in bringing about peace in Ukraine.

Talk of war at an economic forum

Steve Rosenberg

Russia editor

The St Petersburg International Economic Forum is supposed to be Russia’s showcase economic event, they used to call it “The Russian Davos”.

But gone are the western business executives and leaders who once rubbed shoulders with Vladimir Putin here. Russia’s war – and western sanctions – has ended that. So Russia has to seek new partners.

Much about this afternoon’s proceedings felt bizarre.

Sharing the stage with the president of Algeria, Putin spoke for more than an hour about how well - in his view - Russia’s economy is doing. He made no mention of the war in his speech. It was the elephant in the room.

He talked about it later in a Q&A session.

Although the war has not gone at all according to plan for the Kremlin, Putin came across as confident (in public, at least). He claimed that Ukraine would soon have no military equipment of its own left and that all its weapons were being brought in from abroad.

"You can’t fight for long like that,” he added, warning that any F16 US fighter jets given to Ukraine “will burn, no doubt about it”.

There was one particularly unsettling moment, when Putin ordered the audience be shown a short pre-prepared film about World War Two atrocities committed against Jews by Nazis and Ukrainian Nazi collaborators.

He used it to support his claim that modern Ukraine needs denazifying; to back Russia’s false narrative that Ukraine today is full of Nazis and that Russia’s war is justified.

And all of this at what was supposed to be an international economic forum.

Zelensky to African delegation: Diplomatic overtures are not what’s needed

Mayeni Jones

West Africa Correspondent

Reuters

Zelensky with South African President Ramaphosa and President of the Union of Comoros Azali Assoumani

During a press conference following his meeting with African presidents on a peace mission to Ukraine, President Zelensky said that he couldn’t stop them from visiting President Vladimir Putin tomorrow in Saint Petersburg, but that at this point, he did not feel that diplomatic overtures were what was needed.

Zelensky said that instead Russia should be frozen out diplomatically. He reiterated that Ukraine would not enter negotiations with Russia whilst it still occupied Ukrainian territory.

The delegation of seven African countries say they have a vested interest in the conflict because many African countries depend on Ukrainian grain and Russian fertiliser, the supply of which has been affected by the conflict.

Zelensky said that he understood that African countries were negatively affected by the conflict in Ukraine, but that the shortage of food and worsening food crisis on the continent was not Ukraine’s fault, but the fault of Russia, for blocking the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.

Russia needs to be frozen out diplomatically - Zelensky

AFP

We've heard more from Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky who says he has invited African leaders to take part in the global peace summit.

"There is a real need for real peace and real withdrawal of Russian forces from independent Ukrainian soil," he says.

He feels Russia should be frozen out diplomatically to send a message that the international community condemns its invasion of Ukraine.

Peace talks possible only after Moscow withdraws its forces - Zelensky

Reuters

Cyril Ramaphosa attends a joint press conference with Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Kyiv

We are finally hearing from Kyiv, where the African leaders and the delegation has met with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky after their tour in and around the city.

Ukrainian Interfax quoted Zelensky as saying that peace talks with Russia would be possible only after Moscow withdraws its forces from occupied territory, after his meeting with the African delegation.

The "Peace Initiative" delegation - led by the South African leader Cyril Ramaphosa - was aiming to start talks with both sides of the conflict, to begin a dialogue on issues that do not directly affect the military situation.

They will travel to Russia later in the day.

South African plane grounded in Poland until Sunday

Adam Easton

Reporting from Warsaw

A South African Airlines (SAA) plane carrying President Cyril Ramaphosa’s security detail and media representatives that has been grounded in Poland since Thursday will remain at Warsaw airport until Sunday, an airport spokesman told the BBC.

The SAA chartered flight was part of the delegation of the African peace mission to Ukraine and Russia. President Ramaphosa flew on a separate plane, and then travelled to Ukraine on Friday via train from south-eastern Poland.

The Polish foreign ministry said the Polish authorities were not told about some of the passengers on board the security and media aircraft ahead of time as being on board.

Warsaw Chopin Airport spokesman Piotr Rudzki told the BBC that some of the passengers, including journalists, had now got off the plane and gone to a hotel.

Read more on our Africa Live page here

African peace mission going as planned - spokesperson

The African peace mission is going as planned despite the explosions reported in Kyiv earlier, the South African presidency reports.

"Strangely, we didn't hear the sirens or explosions. #AfricanPeaceMission programme is proceeding as planned," spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said in a tweet.

Led by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, a delegation of seven African leaders has been visiting the Ukrainian capital and is due to President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The delegation then plans to travel to St Petersburg, Russia, on Saturday to meet President Vladimir Putin.

In pictures: Damage in Stari Petrivtsi

Here are some pictures of the damage caused in Stari Petrivtsi earlier today.

As we reported in our previous post, the rebuilding efforts are starting there.

BBC

A house in Stari Petrivtsi which was damaged in the explosions earlier

BBC

There was damage in the kitchen

BBC

And the living room was damaged in the house, too

BBC

Another house in Stari Petrivtsi lost a section of its roof

Rebuilding efforts under way in small town hit earlier

Yalda Hakim

Reporting from Stari Petrivtsi outside Kyiv

BBC

Rebuilding efforts have already started in the village of Stari Petrivtsi that was hit only hours ago

It’s not even been six hours since the village of Stari Petrivtsi was hit, and already the demolition and rebuilding efforts are starting.

The head of the community tells us that this is the second time in the past year that this particular area has been affected by the Russian attacks. He has no idea why it keeps happening. He hopes that it acts as a warning to those who live here to act on the air raid sirens.

People are fearful for their lives, but also worried about the security of their property and belongings.

Russian nuclear warheads already in Belarus - Putin

Reuters

Putin says nuclear weapons would only be used in the event of a threat to the existence of the Russian state

Attention in St Petersburg is turning to the matter of nuclear weapons - with Vladimir Putin confirming that Russia has already moved some warheads to Belarus.

Earlier this month, Russia said it would deploy tactical nuclear weapons on Belarusian soil from July.

Kyiv remains "absolutely calm" over the prospect, Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine Oleksiy Danilov previously told the BBC.

Speaking now, Putin says nuclear weapons would only be used in the event of a threat to the existence of the Russian state.

But Russia has "no such need" to use them, he added.

But he refuses to be drawn further on the matter, asking the session host: "Do you want me to frighten the whole world? No, I don't want to."

Putin closes the discussion by saying Russia was using "all the power in our hands" against use of nuclear weapons.

War has 'demilitarised' Ukraine - Putin

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has already led to Ukraine's "demilitarisation", Putin claims as he continues his speech in St Petersburg - an objective named by Moscow at the start of the war.

"As regards demilitarisation, look, Ukraine will soon completely stop using its own hardware," he tells the economic forum in St Petersburg.

Kyiv has "nothing left", he declares.

"One cannot fight for too long like that. Do you understand?" Putin says.

Putin says Western sanctions have failed to isolate Russia

More now from Russian President Vladimir Putin.

He's been speaking about the impact of Western sanctions on his country's economy. Many Western states including the US, Canada, the UK and the EU slapped asset freezes and travel bans on Russian individuals and clamped down on trade with Russia after it invaded Ukraine.

Well, Putin has told the gathering sanctions on Russia had failed to isolate it and instead led to an "expansion" in its trade with "the markets of the future".

He praised new deals with countries in Asia, the Middle East and Latin America - calling them "reliable, responsible partners".

Calling them the "markets of the future", he took aim at Western countries, saying "neocolonial international system has ceased to exist, while the multipolar global order is on the other hand strengthening. This is an inevitable process".

Ukraine 'will soon run out of its own military equipment' - Putin

Back to Vladimir Putin's speech at the International Economic Forum in St Petersburg now.

The Russian president says that Ukraine will soon run out of its own military equipment and will be completely reliant on hardware supplied to them by Western countries.

He also claims that that Ukraine hasn't made any progress in its counter offensive and says the country had "no chance" against Russia's army.

Swedish membership 'would enhance Nato capabilities'

EPA

Lloyd Austin addressing a gathering of his Nato counterparts in Brussels

After giving an address at a Nato meeting in Brussels, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin is asked how Swedish membership would improve the defence alliance.

Gen Austin said Sweden was a "strong democracy" with a "substantial military capacity", and its awareness of activity in the skies and seas around northern Europe would enhance Nato's capabilities.

He is also asked whether he had talked about Swedish membership with his counterpart from Turkey - which is currently blocking Sweden's application to Nato.

"My purpose in meeting him today was an introductory meeting, just to congratulate him on being installed as minister of defence," said Gen Austin.

"Of course, [I] seize every opportunity to encourage him to move forward and approve the accession of Sweden. But it's a very short meeting, and I don't have anything to report out from that."