A joint appeal has been signed by the heads of Ukrainian organisations governing Olympic sports calling on the IOC to continue to ban athletes from the two countries "until the end of the armed aggression in Ukraine."

The signing of the appeal took place during a meeting at the headquarters of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine (NOCU) in Kyiv today - a day that saw Ukraine hit by a wave of Russian strikes, where rare hypersonic missiles were used.

At least nine people have died in the attacks, as reported by BBC News, with a Russian Defence Ministry spokesman saying that long-range air, sea and land-based weapons, hit elements of Ukraine's military infrastructure.

NOCU President and Ukrainian Sports Minister Vadym Guttsait attended the event where representatives of the governing bodies formed a "unified position of the Olympic Movement of Ukraine" against the reintroduction of athletes from Russia and Belarus.

Russian and Belarusian athletes have been largely banned from competition in international events, with the majority of International Federations adhering to the IOC’s recommendations announced on February 28 2022 in response to the war in Ukraine.

The IOC is exploring a pathway for their return under "strict conditions" of neutrality for next year’s Olympics in Paris - a move which has sparked anger in Ukraine.

During the meeting, Guttsait told Ukraine’s Olympic federations that "we are all together to do everything possible to protect the national interests and the interest of our Olympic family" due to the "extremely difficult conditions" in the war-torn country.

"We hold our front and do everything to prevent the athletes of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus from participating in international competitions in any status, even in a neutral one," added Guttsait.

Ukraine’s Olympic federations said that the IOC Executive Board’s recommendations in February last year were "logical" and "fair" and demanded that they remained in place.

"The current change in attitude to the possible admission of athletes from Russia and Belarus to international competitions, especially the Olympic Games, is unclear," the joint appeal read.

"Such a position of the IOC Executive Board is outrageous for the entire Ukrainian nation, especially for the athletes who will have to enter the same ring, the same track, the same field with Russian and Belarusian athletes - representatives of the aggressor countries, whose soldiers kills relatives and friends of our athletes.

"As representatives of the Ukrainian sports community, we believe that it does not matter whether Russian and Belarusian athletes compete under their national flags or a neutral one.

"The athletes of these countries are a vivid example of how by default politics adapts to selective situations - the authorities simultaneously finance participation in competitions and the cost of military weapons.

"Moreover, most members of the Olympic teams have military ranks in addition to sports achievements.

"In view of the above, we adhere to the position that as long as Russian military aggression continues, we do not see the possibility for the return of Russian and Belarusian athletes to international competitions.

"We ask you to support us in this stance and to keep in force the recommendations of the Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee dated February 28, 2022 preventing the athletes from Russia and Belarus from participating in international competitions until the end of the armed aggression in Ukraine."

The appeal comes after a group of 35 countries including Olympic hosts France, signed a collective statement last month expressing "serious concerns" over the participation of Russian and Belarusian competitors and called for greater clarity on the IOC's definition of neutrality.

The IOC has stressed that athletes from Russia and Belarus would need to "fully respect the Olympic Charter", meaning they have not actively supported the war in Ukraine and comply with the World Anti-Doping Code.