Ukraine Accuse Russia Of Targeting Mosque Sheltering 80 Civilians

• Intense fighting is reported north west of Ukraine’s capital as reports suggest the bulk of Russian forces are now just 25km from the city

• Russia has accused Ukraine of rejecting nearly all its offers to provide humanitarian corridors from flash-point towns

EKO HOT BLOG reports that Russian forces have shelled a mosque in the southern Ukrainian port city of Mariupol, where more than 80 adults and children, including Turkish citizens, have taken refuge, Ukraine’s foreign ministry says.

Ukraine has accused Russia of refusing to allow people out of Mariupol, where a blockade has left hundreds of thousands of people trapped.

Read also: War: Ukrainian Mayor Captured As Russian Troops Inch Towards Kiev

Russia blames Ukraine for the failure to evacuate.

Ukrainian foreign ministry tweets the Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent mosque in Mariupol has been shelled by Russian “invaders”.

“More than 80 adults and children are hiding there from the shelling, including citizens of Turkey,” it says.

There are no details of any people killed or wounded.

Moscow has denied targeting civilian areas.

Meanwhile, the United Kingdom has sent six more plane-loads of medical aid and equipment to Ukraine as Health Secretary Sajid Javid accused Russia of war crimes in attacking medical facilities.

Javid said there had been more than 25 attacks on health centres and hospitals since the invasion began.

“This is a war crime and Russia will pay for the crimes it’s carrying out,” he said.

Russia has claimed, without evidence, that hospital bombings were faked.

One attack on a maternity and children’s hospital in Mariupol on Thursday killed three people, including a child.

Speaking on a visit to Birmingham Children’s Hospital, Javid said that “Russia needs to stop its aggression”.

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