Russian troops shelled a mosque in the port city of Mariupol in southern Ukraine, where more than 80 adults and children, including Turkish citizens, had taken refuge, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said on Saturday..

“The mosque of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent and his wife Roksolana (Hyurrem Sultan) in Mariupol was fired upon by Russian invaders,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.. “More than 80 adults and children, including Turkish citizens, are hiding there from shelling”.

No word on whether anyone was killed or injured.

Mariupol's mayor's administration urged Turkey to tell Russia to stop its offensive against the city as 86 Turks, including 34 children, are trapped in the city's mosque.

Mariupol has been under siege and shelling for more than a week and surrounded by Russian troops. In the southern port city there is no water, electricity and gas, there is almost no telephone connection and the Internet.

Piotr Andryushchenko, an adviser to the mayor of the city, said the fighting today has moved to the area of \u200b\u200bthe mosque, which is located in the west of the city near the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov.. For the first time this area of \u200b\u200bMariupol was subjected to direct shelling.

According to him, since 6:00 on Friday, Russia has been “thundering” the city with continuous attacks, so no one can go outside, and people in the mosque are not available..

“Our government cannot speak to the Russian government, so we hope that the Turkish government will be able to talk to them in order to save these Turkish people, as well as Ukrainians,” Andryushchenko said..

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“We are ready for any operation to evacuate the Turkish people, but for this, Turkey must help us stop the attacks – without the help of the Turkish government, I think this is impossible.”. Fears for civilian infrastructure and residential buildings in the city are heightened after an orphanage and maternity home were hit on Wednesday, killing three, including a child..

The city council said on Friday that 1,582 people were killed during the 12 days of the blockade..

According to the Office of the Prosecutor General, 79 children have died in Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian invasion.