The incident occurred on the evening of April 28. A call reporting a fire at a mosque in Lviv was received at 8:40 p.m., police said.
The suspect threw two bottles containing a flammable mixture into the building and fled, according to preliminary findings. Liquid from one of the bottles ignited, but a staff member extinguished the fire before firefighters arrived, police said.
Investigators are conducting initial procedural actions and searching for witnesses. Authorities are working to identify the suspect.
Law enforcement has opened a criminal case under Part 2 of Article 194 of Ukraine’s Criminal Code. A pretrial investigation is ongoing.
The attack on the religious site is unacceptable for any believer, regardless of their views, said Aider Rustemov, the supreme mufti of Crimea and head of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.
“We are convinced that this crime could not have been committed by a person of faith. An attack on a sacred place — the arson of the minbar — is absolutely unacceptable for any believer,” he said.
The Muslim community views the incident as a deliberate provocation aimed at destabilizing the religious situation, he added.