Russia’s foreign minister said Tuesday that any French military instructors in Ukraine training Ukraine soldiers would be a “legitimate target” for Russian strikes.

“Regardless of their status, military officials or mercenaries represent a legitimate target for our armed forces,” Sergey Lavrov said Tuesday. He said he thought French instructors were “already on the Ukrainian territory.”

Ukraine’s top military commander said last week that Ukraine was preparing for the trainers’ imminent arrival.

However, French President Emmanuel Macron did not confirm that and said he would not comment on “rumors or decision that could be made.”

Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesperson, said Tuesday that “instructors who train the Kyiv regime’s troops don’t have any sort of immunity, and it doesn’t matter whether they are French or not.”

On an African diplomatic tour, Lavrov made his remarks at a joint news conference with the Republic of Congo’s President Denis Sassou N’Guesso.

Falling debris damages buildings

In Ukraine on Tuesday, officials said a Russian missile attack hit the central city of Dnipro, injuring at least seven people.

Ukraine’s air force said it shot down two Iskander-K cruise missiles in the area.

Serhiy Lysak, the regional governor, said on Telegram that falling debris from the downed missiles damaged residential buildings and a hospital.

The Ukrainian military also reported destroying two drones over the Chernihiv region. There were no reports of injuries or damage there.

Russia’s defense ministry said Tuesday it destroyed a Ukrainian drone over the Belgorod region.

Vyacheslav Gladkov, the regional governor of Belgorod, said in Telegram that Ukraine used a kamikaze drone in an attack that hit a car in the village of Yasnye Zori, but caused no injuries.

US to attend peace summit

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and national security adviser Jake Sullivan will attend a Ukraine peace conference in Switzerland on June 15, the White House said Monday in a statement.

Harris will travel to Switzerland to underscore the U.S. commitment to supporting Ukraine’s effort to secure a just and lasting peace, based on Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and the principles of the United Nations charter, said the vice president’s communications director, Kirsten Allen.

Harris will reaffirm U.S. support for the people of Ukraine as they defend themselves against ongoing Russian aggression, the statement said.

The Kremlin has repeatedly said any talks around securing peace in Ukraine should involve Russia, which has not been invited to the summit.

Some material in this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.