Russian forces ‘brutally’ attacked Kherson: Ukrainian president

By Merve Berker

ANKARA (AA) – Russian invaders “brutally” attacked Ukraine's Kherson region, with shelling leaving many dead and wounded, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said late Sunday.

Mentioning the details of some casualties, Zelenskyy said on his website that one man suffered severe burns when the village of Veletenske came under shelling and his house caught on fire.

In the village of Shyroka Balka, five people were killed by Russian artillery, including a 22-day-old baby girl, her 12-year-old brother and 39-year-old mother, he said, offering his condolences.

The village of Stanislav also came under Russian shelling, with two killed and two wounded, he said.

“In total, from the beginning of this day until 6 pm, there have already been 17 reports of shelling from the Kherson region alone,” he noted.

He said other attacks took place in Mykolaiv, Zaporizhzhia, Donbas, Kharkiv and the border areas with Russia in the northeast.

Zelenskyy meanwhile praised Ukrainian soldiers.

“Everywhere our warriors retaliate against the occupiers' terror. There is not a single day when Russian evil does not get our completely fair retaliation,” he said.

“Every occupier destroyed, every piece of Russian equipment burned, fire instead of their headquarters and warehouses, the very eloquent smoke on Kerch bridge and more -- all this proves that we will not leave any of Russia's crimes unanswered.”

He said every single Ukrainian soldier has “the opportunity to bring justice to Ukraine.”

“Either you fight for Ukraine, or you help fight and save lives,” he said, calling on all people to help the country.

Praising the success of Ukrainian forces against the Russians, Zelenskyy said: “Every time we have something to thank our warriors for, Ukraine becomes closer to justice, closer to victory.”

“And Russian murderers on our land become closer to destruction.”

“This is the only way we can create the conditions for the whole of Ukraine to become free and safe again,” he said.

Calling the Russian soldiers “terrorists,” Zelenskyy stressed that they “must feel only one thing: they will be destroyed.”

He thanked all the Ukrainian doctors and nurses working in the frontline areas to save Ukrainian civilians and soldiers behind the scenes.

“We know that freedom is priceless, and we know how to defend it. We know how to protect life,” he said.

“Ukraine will definitely prevail.”