"The members of the executive board of the International Olympic Committee who made this decision are responsible for the encouragement of Russia and Belarus to continue their armed aggression against Ukraine," the Ukrainian foreign ministry Dmytro Kuleba said.

Kyiv said Russian athletes often represent "sports organisations associated with the armed forces" and that "some of them are on active duty in the Russian military."

The ruling means welcoming back sportsmen and women who "not only sympathise with the murders of Ukrainian women and children, but are likely to be directly involved in these terrible crimes," the foreign ministry said.

"The International Olympic Committee has effectively given Russia the green light to weaponize the Olympics," it added.

The committee said no athletes under contract with military or national security agencies would be allowed to compete.

It also said that no Russian and Belarusian flags or symbols will be displayed at the games.

"Moscow will not be raising white neutral flags... but will be demonstrating the triumph of its ability to avoid responsibility for the largest armed conflict in Europe since World War II," Ukraine said.

In an interview with AFP on Thursday, Ukraine's acting sports minister said his government was "very concerned" by the call from these IFs and NOCs.

Matviy Bidnyi said Kyiv was concerned that the move gave the impression that the IOC "does not want to demonstrate the necessary leadership in the matter of Olympic fairness and justice".

"As President Volodymyr Zelensky aptly said: 'Obviously, any neutral flag of Russian athletes is stained with blood,'" Bidnyi told AFP.

"We are counting on a responsible decision and leadership from the IOC, which will not allow Russia to use sport for military propaganda.

"Even if it's sport under a neutral flag."