"During the offensive aimed at liberating the city of Mariupol, at the request of Turkish President R. [Tayyip] Erdogan, a special operation was carried out in the Primorsky district on April 16 to free hostages held by Ukrainian Nazis in a Turkish mosque," Konashenkov said.
According to the spokesman, as a result of the operation, the mosque was unblocked and 29 militants, including foreign mercenaries, were killed.
"The hostages, citizens of one of the CIS countries, were released and taken to a safe place," Konashenkov added.
On 24 February, Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine after the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Lugansk appealed for help in defending themselves against Ukrainian forces. Russia said that the aim of its operation is "demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine."