Volodymyr Zelensky deplores new "brutal terrorist attacks" by Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has deplored new "brutal terrorist attacks" by Russia on cities and towns across his country.

Day and night there are these attacks, Zelensky said in his nightly video message broadcast in Kyiv on Saturday. "Rockets and artillery, drones and mortars: The vicious state uses a variety of weapons with the one goal of destroying life and leaving nothing human behind," Zelensky said.

"Ruins, rubble, craters where missiles hit are the self-portrait of Russia that it paints where life exists without Russia," the Ukrainian head of state said. The country stands for evil, he said. "It has become synonymous with terror and will be an example of defeat and just punishment for its terror. The Kremlin cannot stop the punishment."

Zelensky mentioned several cities and regions that had been particularly affected by fresh Russian attacks. He said the Kharkiv region alone had seen 40 missile attacks since the beginning of the year. In the city of Kherson, he said, three Ukrainians were killed by Russian fire on Saturday - on their way to do their shopping.