While President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine was on midair to South Africa on Wednesday, President Vladimir Putin led Russia engaged the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv like never before since the full-scale war began on February 24, 2022, with disastrous-murderous rainy air bombardments, causing 10 deaths and over 80 people injured, with military intelligence suggesting that President Vladimir Putin may have launched the massive attacks on the Ukrainian capital as a calculated distraction to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy over his visit to South Africa where Zelenskyy had planned to meet with representatives of civil, political and student communities from different Africa countries, a continent, it appears, Russia has built tighter relations with in recent years in the struggle for geopolitical supremacy against its rivals in the world powers like the US and France, which, Africa countries like Senegal, Chad, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Niger, had cut military ties with France and expelled its troops, and some of the Africa countries like Chad and Niger have also expelled US troops and cut military ties with the Whitehouse, and they all, including South Africa have moved closer to Russia but since June 2023 when South Africa President, Cyril Ramaphosa led an African leaders’ peace mission to Ukraine and Russia where they both met with Zelenskyy and Putin, after the failed peace initiative, Ukraine has stepped up its relations in the Africa continent by sharing technological and military experience with African nations, donating grains, opening additional embassies in the Africa Continent with Ivory Coast and Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC already established out of the 10 new embassies pledged in 2023, which President Volodymyr Zelensky said in December 2023 that one of Ukraine’s foreign policy priorities for 2024 is continuing to develop ties with African countries, as Moscow seeks to expand its influence on the continent.

Zelenskyy, shortly after arriving in South Africa early morning on Thursday night, said, he will cut short his visit in South Africa and return home due to the Russia air bombardments from Wednesday night till Thursday morning in Kyiv.

Zelenskyy still held a planned meeting with the South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa at the government’s Union Buildings in Pretoria.

Shortly after arriving in South Africa, Zelenskyy tweeted on his X social media handle that “We are preparing for important meetings in South Africa with President Cyril Ramaphosa and representatives of political, civil, and student communities of African countries.

Condemning Russia attacks on Kyiv, Zelenskyy said: “It is an honor for me to be in the Republic of South Africa today on my first visit. This morning, our country endured another Russian attack — a massive one, with over 200 aerial threats: missiles, including ballistic ones, and attack drones.

Unfortunately, there have been destructions and losses in our capital and other cities. Over 80 people have been wounded in these strikes. Tragically, there are fatalities. In Kyiv, among those killed were a brother and sister — the young man was 21, and the young woman was 19. My condolences to all those who have lost their loved ones. Rescue operations are still ongoing.

Because of this Russian attack, I have decided to shorten the program of my visit to South Africa; however, our Minister for Foreign Affairs remains here — as a sign of our respect and to carry out all the meetings that were scheduled. We are grateful for the respect shown to Ukraine, for the support, and for the shared sense — the sense that this war must be brought to an end as soon as possible.

Today, President Cyril Ramaphosa and I discussed the importance of uniting global efforts as fully as possible now to apply the necessary pressure on Russia — pressure for the sake of peace.

We also spoke about the opportunities within the G20 framework — South Africa currently holds the G20 Presidency, and the role of the Group of Twenty can be significantly greater in defending human life”.

Earlier, Zelenskyy said: “It has been 44 days since Ukraine agreed to a full ceasefire and a halt to strikes. This was a proposal from the United States. And it has been 44 days of Russia continuing to kill our people and evading tough pressure and accountability for its actions.

It is extremely important that everyone around the world sees and understands what is really happening. Nearly 70 missiles, including ballistic ones. And about 150 attack drones.

Unfortunately, there is significant destruction. Rescue operations are ongoing, and the rubble of residential buildings is being cleared. As of this moment, over 80 people have been injured across Ukraine. Everyone is receiving the necessary assistance. Regrettably, 9 people have been killed in Kyiv. My condolences go out to their families and loved ones.

There was a report from the military command. I instructed the Minister of Defense of Ukraine to immediately contact our partners regarding our requests to strengthen air defenses.

Today, I will brief President Ramaphosa of South Africa, who currently holds the G20 Presidency, on the situation and our need to intensify global diplomatic efforts. The strikes must be stopped immediately and unconditionally. We also count on support in humanitarian matters — in the return of our prisoners and Ukrainian children abducted by Russia. I am canceling part of the program for this visit and will return to Ukraine immediately after the meeting with the President of South Africa.

The Foreign Minister of Ukraine will hold all the necessary meetings in South Africa to fully inform the country’s political and civil society leaders about the situation.

I am grateful to everyone around the world who stands with Ukraine and supports our people”.

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump of the uNited States, US on Thursday called on Vladimir Putin to halt attacks on Ukraine, in a rare rebuke of the Russian leader after Moscow fired a barrage of missiles and drones at Kyiv, killing at least 10 in the deadliest attack on the capital in months.

The direct appeal to Putin came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged his allies to put Russia under more pressure to halt its invasion.

“I am not happy with the Russian strikes on Kyiv,” Trump said on social media.

“Not necessary, and very bad timing. Vladimir, Stop!” he said. “Lets get the Peace Deal Done!”

Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff is due in Russia this week where he is expected to hold talks with Putin on a possible deal, his fourth since Trump returned to the White House in January.

Ukraine has been battered with aerial attacks throughout Russia’s three-year invasion but deadly strikes on Kyiv, better protected by air defences than other cities, are less common, according to AFP.

“The attacks threw more doubt on already fraught US efforts to push Russia and Ukraine to agree to a ceasefire, with Trump having lashed out at Zelensky this week for not being willing to accept Russian occupation of Crimea, annexed by Moscow in 2014.

“We do everything that our partners have proposed, only what contradicts our legislation and the Constitution we cannot do,” Zelensky told reporters in South Africa in response to a question about Crimea.

Zelensky also questioned whether Kyiv’s allies were themselves doing enough to force Putin to agree to a full and unconditional ceasefire.

“I don’t see any strong pressure on Russia or any new sanctions packages against Russia’s aggression,” Zelensky said, highlighting that Trump had previously warned of repercussions if Moscow did not agree to pause the fighting.

“The strikes must be stopped immediately and unconditionally,” Zelensky said, calling Thursday morning’s aerial assault “one of the most sophisticated, most brazen” of the entire war.

Loud blasts sounded over the Ukrainian capital at around 1:00am (2200 GMT) after air raid sirens rang out across Kyiv, AFP journalists on the ground said.

Rescuers on Thursday afternoon said 10 people were killed and 90 injured.

Russia said it had targeted Ukraine’s defence industry, including plants that produced “rocket fuel and gunpowder”, AFP reported.

We had reported that the Ukranian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused China Government led by President Xi Jinping of helping Russia by thus allegedly sending the country’s weapon production workers to Russia to be producing gunpowder, artillery, among other military weapons, the enemy neighbouring country, Russia under President Vladimir Putin are using to attack and destroy Ukraine, this, Zelenskyy confirmed that Russia attacked Kharkiv with ballistic missiles as Christians set to mark this year Good Friday, which do herald the celebration of Easter, just as the United States Government through the office of the Secretary of State, Marco Rubio also on Friday said that if the war in Ukraine can’t be stopped, the US will move on, because, the US is not the cause of the war, and the North America country has been helping Ukraine since the start of the war, three years ago.