Mariupol maternity hospital was radical Azov battalion's base - Lavrov

ANTALYA. March 10 (Interfax) - The Mariupol maternity hospital which the Ukrainian side is accusing Russian troops of attacking was used as a base by militants of the Azov battalion, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday.

"There have been no women, children, or staff in this maternity hospital for a long time, we said that at the UN Security Council on March 7," Lavrov said during a press conference in Antalya.

"It was occupied by militants of the Azov battalion along with other radicals, who set up a base there," the minister said.

"As they do in general all over Ukraine, turning people into human shields, turning residential neighborhoods also into human shields, placing their attack equipment there and opening fire on the positons of Russian troops and DPR and LPR militia from there," Lavrov said.