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
He told the St Petersburg International Economic Forum the "necolonial international system has ceased to exist"
Putin told the gathering that Russia has already moved tactical nuclear weapons to its ally Belarus, which neighbours Ukraine
African leaders are in Ukraine on a peace mission where they met President Volodymyr Zelensky
Ukraine's foreign minister says an air raid at the start of their visit shows Russian President Vladimir Putin wants "more war"
The seven African leaders, from countries including South Africa and Egypt, will head to Russia tomorrow
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
Nato defence ministers are meeting in Brussels today
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has tweeted, external in English, saying that the missiles targeting Kyiv, and are a message to the African leaders visiting Ukraine today:
Quote MessagePutin '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."
A little earlier, the African leaders went to the site of the mass grave in the town of Bucha, which lies just outside of Kyiv.
The South African presidency has tweeted , externala few videos of them arriving and taking part in a short remembrance ceremony.
There are 458 people buried in the mass grave who were killed at the start of the war.
Ukraine says it has uncovered multiple mass graves in Bucha, Borodyanka and other towns near the capital Kyiv that were briefly seized by Russian troops.
Mayeni Jones
Reporting from Kyiv
Missiles and drones have been launched into Ukraine’s air space as a delegation of African leaders visit the capital Kyiv on a peace mission.
Explosions have been heard in Kyiv, as Ukraine’s military says the capital’s air defence system is at work.
Delegations from seven African countries, including South Africa, Egypt and Senegal are due to meet Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky later today to suggest compromises for a peace deal.
They’re due to visit St Petersburg tomorrow. The air force says that high precision missiles are flying low to the ground, potentially making them more difficult to detect.
Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko has posted on Telegram that there has been an explosion in the Podilsky district of the city, and more rockets are on their way.
We will bring you more when we have it.
As African leaders arrive in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv to meet with Zelensky, an air raid alert was issued in the city and the region.
The alert came after the Ukrainian air force said several Russian Kalibr missiles had been launched from the Black Sea and were "heading north" towards Kyiv.
Russian missile attacks ramped up this week on Kyiv, Odesa, and President Zelensky’s hometown of Kryvyi Rih, killing several people.
Olexander Scherba, a Ukrainian diplomat has tweeted: "Sirens now. Putin welcoming African leaders in Kyiv."
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Image source, Presidency of South AfricaRamaphosa was met by Ukraine's special envoy for Africa and the Middle East, Maksym Subhk (L)
A video was posted on Twitter a little while back of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa arriving at Nemishaeve railway station just outside the Ukrainian capital Kyiv this morning.
He was greeted by Ukraine's special envoy for Africa and the Middle East, Maksym Subkh, as well as the South African ambassador to Ukraine, Andre Groenewald.
This peace mission is being facilitated by the Brazzaville Foundation - an independent non-profit organisation whose goal is to develop initiatives to prevent conflict, mainly in Africa.
It is led by Frenchman Jean-Yves Ollivier, who has previously helped secure the release of hostages in the Central African Republic and mediate a power-sharing deal in the Democratic Republic of Congo
When it comes to the war in Ukraine, the foundation has stressed the need for dialogue, and its members have met both representatives of Ukraine and Russia over the past few months.
The foundation’s goal is “to facilitate a resumption of talks between the two countries”, according to its website, and its members hope to make progress on that front during these visits to Kyiv and Moscow.
A BBC investigation has found the number of Russian soldiers killed during the war in Ukraine is far higher than the official figures released by Moscow.
It found that about 25,000 Russian soldiers have been killed in Ukraine.
The number is four times the official figure released by Moscow.
The BBC's Russian service and the Russian website Mediazona studied images of war graves, posts on social media and reports in local Russian news outlets to reach their conclusion.
While at the start of Russia's invasion it was mostly trained professional soldiers that were dying, their research suggests the casualties are now mostly older fighters, with little training.
Many have been recruited from prisons by the Wagner mercenary group.
You can see the full investigation here.
Image source, ReutersA Ukrainian national flag is seen in the newly liberated village Neskuchne
A reminder as to where we are with the conflict. Ukraine's forces have embarked on a counter-offensive against the Russian military over the past few days, with mixed results.
Kyiv announced it had won back several settlements from Russian occupying forces on Monday, as pictures and videos of Ukrainian flags being raised flooded social media.
Their troops reportedly recaptured around 35 sq miles (90 sq km) since starting their counter-offensive - a fraction of the 40,000 square miles that still remains under Russian control.
The fight has been tough, however, and Ukraine’s deputy minister conceded that their troops were engaged in "extremely fierce battles" with the Russians.
Russia has also stepped up missile attacks across Ukraine, including in Kyiv, Odesa, and President Zelensky’s hometown of Kryvyi Rih - where at least 11 people were killed and 28 others injured, according to officials.
Track Ukraine’s war with Russia here.
Let's move away from the diplomatic movements of the day briefly to pick up some other developments.
Ukraine is reporting the abduction of some 150 children from the Russian-occupied Luhansk region, in the east of the country.
According to the National Resistance Centre of Ukraine, the children were "illegally taken" from Luhansk's Starobilsk district on 8 June and transported to two centres in Russia's southern Karachay-Cherkess region.
The centre also reports that some children in occupied areas of Ukraine are being forced to undergo "preventative medical exams", saying that those who do not pass are being sent to Russia "for treatment".
Ukrainian officials say more than 19,000 children have been taken from occupied areas since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022.
Earlier this year, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Russia's President Putin, alleging he was responsible for war crimes over the unlawful deportation of children from Ukraine to Russia.
Moscow has denied all the allegations.
Barbara Plett Usher
BBC News, Nairobi
The man who prepared the ground for this mission has talked about modest goals.
Jean-Yves Ollivier has not commented publicly about the trip recently - but in previously published interviews he has laid out his approach.
He said the aim was to start talking rather than to resolve the conflict, to begin a dialogue on issues that do not directly affect the military situation and build from there.
One of them is a potential swap of Russian and Ukrainian prisoners of war.
The other is to try and find solutions to issues that matter to Africa, like grain and fertilizer.
The war has severely restricted the export of grain from Ukraine and fertilizers from Russia, intensifying global food insecurity. Africa, which depends on imports of both, has suffered the most.
Image source, Getty ImagesUkraine is one of the world's top producers of grain
You can read more from Barbara here.
We're seeing some of the first images of the African delegation heading to Kyiv by train from Poland.
They're expected to meet Ukrainian President Zelenksy a little later today, before travelling to St Petersburg in Russia to meet President Putin tomorrow.
Image source, South African Presidency
Image source, South African Presidency
Barbara Plett Usher
BBC News, Nairobi
Seven African leaders are travelling to Ukraine and Russia on a peace mission, hoping to bring the war there closer to an end.
But the timing of the visit seems off. It comes just as Kyiv is launching its much-vaunted counter-offensive.
The mission is an unusual burst of activism given Africa's largely hands-off approach to a conflict that many here see primarily as a confrontation between Russia and the West.
It is also a rare attempt at diplomatic intervention outside the continent - a "welcome development" given Africa's growing demand to have a bigger voice at the UN and other international organisations, says Murithi Mutiga, Africa director at the International Crisis Group (ICG) think-tank.
Read more here.
The delegation will be led South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, and includes senior representatives of Egypt, Senegal, Comoros, Uganda, Zambia, and the Republic of the Congo.
Image source, EPA-EFE/REX/ShutterstockThe delegation will also consist of Senegalese President Macky Sall, Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema and Azali Assoumani, the president of Comoros and current chairperson of the African Union.
Image source, ReutersSenegalese President Macky Sall
Nathan Williams
Live reporter
Image source, ReutersSouth African President Cyril Ramaphosa is leading the peace initiative
We're used to seeing President Zelensky with world leaders. What we're not used to is seeing those same leaders then meeting Russia's leader the following day.
Today seven African leaders are travelling to Kyiv to meet Zelensky, before heading to Moscow to meet Russia's President Putin on Saturday.
They're on a peace mission, though the initial goals may be modest.
There is also a meeting of Nato defence ministers happening in Brussels.
Meanwhile, a BBC investigation has found that about 25,000 Russian soldiers have been killed in Ukraine. That is four times the official figure released by Moscow.
Stick with Anna Boyd, Sarah Fowler and myself as we bring you updates throughout the day.