Mosque bombed in Mariupol, Ukraine officials say

Ukrainian officials reported on Saturday that a mosque in Mariupol had been shelled by Russian forces, the latest in a spate of attacks on the southeastern Ukrainian city. 

“The mosque of Suleiman the Magnificent and his wife Roksolana (Hürrem Sultan) in Mariupol was attacked by Russian invaders,” the Ukrainian Embassy in Turkey tweeted. “More than 80 adults and children, including Turkish citizens, are hiding from the shelling.”

Emine Dzheppar, the first deputy minister of foreign affairs for Ukraine, also said on Twitter that the mosque had been attacked.

“At this very moment, the Russian army is bombing the Magnificent Mosque, which was built in memory of Suleiman the Magnificent and Hürrem Sultan,” she tweeted. “Many adults and children, including Turkish citizens, are hiding from the bombardment in the mosque.”

The development comes as Mariupol continues to endure heavy fire. The attacks have forced a pause on the digging of trenches for mass graves, with the mayor saying that the “dead aren’t even being buried,” according to The Associated Press.

In the span of 12 days alone, the Mariupol mayor’s office said more than 1,500 people had died from the conflict, as of Friday. 

Earlier this week, Ukraine accused Russia of attacking a children’s hospital in the southeastern city, which officials said killed three and injured many more. 

Russian officials said they would look into the incident and Ukrainian officials renewed their calls for a no-fly zone.

However, U.S. officials and lawmakers have signaled they oppose such a measure because it could draw the United States into direct war with Russia. 

“Direct strike of Russian troops at the maternity hospital. People, children are under the wreckage. Atrocity! How much longer will the world be an accomplice ignoring terror?” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said after the attack.

“Close the sky right now! Stop the killings! You have power but you seem to be losing humanity,” he added.