The European Weightlifting Federation (EWF), which is in contact with the Ukrainians, said nobody had been injured as the team had been evacuated before the attack.

"They are now staying at a National Olympic Committee facility near Kyiv," said Antonio Conflitti, President of the EWF.

"We keep in touch with them daily and neighbouring countries have shown their willingness to receive Ukrainian teams in their training bases and assure assistance."

The news came as the Ukrainian Weightlifting Federation (UWF) continues to question the sport's governing body about its apparent reluctance to suspend its Russian Executive Board member Maxim Agapitov.

While athletes, coaches and other officials from Russia and Belarus are barred from the sport, the wording of a statement by the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) leaves the way clear for Agapitov to take part in meetings of the IWF Board, on which he sits.

The UWF emailed Mike Irani and Mohamed Jaloud, the IWF Interim President and general secretary, eight days ago about a loophole in the "incomprehensible" statement regarding Russia.

An email from the UWF, sent eight days ago, welcomed the statement of the day before and thanked the IWF for its support but pointed out the "loophole in the specification of 'technical and team' officials" who were suspended.

It said: "We need clarification if Maxim Agapitov is suspended or not?"

The UWF had received "no official letter from the IWF" in reponse to its question. 

The National Federations of the United States and Britain also asked the IWF for a clarification and have not received one.

Neither Irani nor Jaloud replied when asked by insidethegames if Agapitov would be "free to attend and participate" in Board meetings.

If he is not suspended, Agapitov could also attend the IWF Junior World Championships in Greece in May.

Agapitov did not respond when asked if he would take part in the next Executive Board meeting, which is believed to be today, although there is no entry on the IWF website calendar.

He did make a strong statement complaining about the ban, though, and has underlined his intent to run for the IWF Presidency.

Agapitov, President of the Russian Weightlifting Federation, claimed Russia was the strongest team in the world last year across all age groups and said, "If the world's strongest athletes are not allowed to compete because of the political conflict around Ukraine, what kind of justice can we talk about in sports?"

Agapitov said the IWF had been pressured into imposing an "absolutely discriminatory" ban by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

"Sport must remain out of politics, any discrimination is unacceptable, these principles are registered in the Olympic Charter.

"Athletes have always acted as peacekeepers, and sport becomes the basis for mutual understanding in the spirit of friendship, solidarity, fair play."

He declared his intent to run for the IWF Presidency in the June elections and said, "I am convinced that the development of weightlifting in the world on the principles of pure sport without doping is impossible without the participation of Russia."

The "strongest team" claim is not supported by the facts.

Russia's teenagers excelled at the IWF Youth World Championships but there were no Russian champions at the Olympic Games, where China won seven golds, nor did any Russians win on total at the senior IWF World Championships.

Agapitov posted his statement on social media on Friday.

Ursula Papandrea, the former Interim President of the IWF who is now international director of USA Weightlifting, said, "The ban’s essence will be undermined if exceptions are made for IWF officials and representatives of Russia or Belarus, namely Board, committee and commission members."

Papandrea also announced her "huge respect" for the International Judo Federation (IJF), which said punishing athletes was unfair but barred high-level Russian officials, including Vladimir Putin, from their roles.

Putin was ousted as Honorary President of the IJF and his ally Arkady Rotenberg was ditched as development director on the Executive Board.

Judoka from both countries could continue to compete as neutrals, the IJF decided.

"This is the most responsible way an international sports federation should address the war in Ukraine," said Papandrea.

"Sport officials from the leadership down should be affected, with the athletes least harmed."

Ashley Metcalfe, chief executive of British Weight Lifting, wrote to the IWF leadership to say its statement "seems to still allow representatives of these countries to hold positions of power within our sport and influence the future decision-making process, which cannot be appropriate or acceptable.

"In line with your desire to preserve the integrity of our sport, can you please confirm in an open, public and transparent manner that this is not the case…"

Metcalfe also said delegates from Russia and Belarus should be declared ineligible for the IWF elections in June.