Muristek
Lviv, March 12
Russian forces pounding the port city of Mariupol shelled a mosque sheltering more than 80 people, including children, the Ukrainian government said on Saturday.
Fighting also raged on the outskirts of Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, as Russia's expanding invasion bombarded cities into rubble.
There was no immediate word of casualties from the shelling of Mariupol's elegant, city-centre mosque. The encircled city of 4,46,000 people has suffered some of the greatest misery from Russia's war in Ukraine, with unceasing barrages thwarting repeated attempts to bring in food and water, evacuate trapped civilians and to bury all of the dead.
Zelenskyy seeks mayor's release
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukrainian President, has called on Russian forces to heed the calls of Melitopol residents to free city Mayor Zelenskyy, who spoke with Germany and France leaders on Saturday, said the detention of Mayor Ivan Fedorov was an attempt "to bring the city to its knees" The President encouraged Ukrainians to keep fighting, saying it was "impossible to say how many days we will still need to free our land." APThe conditions in the hospital were deteriorating: electricity was reserved for operating tables, and people with nowhere else to go lined the hallways.
Ukraine's military said on Saturday that Russian forces captured Mariupol's eastern outskirts, tightening the armed squeeze on the strategic port. Taking Mariupol and other ports on the Azov Sea could allow Russia to establish a land corridor to Crimea, which it seized from Ukraine in 2014. — AP
Russia: Ready for arms control talks
Russia is prepared to resume arms control talks with the United States if Washington is, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Saturday. Ryabkov said Moscow and Washington remain in constant contact, but the Kremlin sees no signs that US is ready to continue a dialogue on Ukraine. reuters