President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the nation, speaking about the necessity to preserve our unity in the face of a state-terrorist country and signing several important laws.

"Ukrainians! Ukrainian women!

Tonight one of the most brutal shelling of Mykolaiv and the region took place during the full-scale war. Dozens of rockets and artillery shells... The occupiers hit residential buildings, schools, other social infrastructure, industrial facilities.

The Russian strike claimed the lives of Oleksiy Vadatursky and his wife Raissa, founder of one of Ukraine's largest agro-companies "Nibulon", Hero of Ukraine. My sincere condolences to the family and relatives of the Vadaturskys.

It is such people, such companies, precisely our Ukrainian south that guaranteed food security to the world. It has always been so. And it will be again. Let Russian terrorists not even hope that they will succeed in destroying Ukraine's social and industrial potential and trample on ruins.

Ukraine and our people, our capabilities are stronger than any Russian rockets and shells.

Right now the Russian army is trying to strengthen positions in occupied areas of southern Ukraine, increasing activity on relevant fronts. Part of Russian forces from their eastern positions are being redeployed to the south — to Kherson region and Zaporizhzhia oblast... But this will not help them there.

None of the Russian strikes goes unanswered by our military and intelligence services. The Armed Forces of Ukraine are ready to respond to any new activity of the occupiers.

Today I want to thank every Mykolaiv resident for their unbreakable spirit, for defending the city and region. Likewise, I thank Nikopol, Kharkiv, Kryvyi Rih, all Dnipropetrovshchyna, strong people of Zaporizhzhia and oblast, everyone from Khersonshchyna, every man and woman who defends approaches to Odesa and the region... Thank you for your courage!

Strategically Russia has no chance of winning this war. And we need to hold on so that at tactical levels the state-terrorist feels its defeat. We need to hold on in the south, east, everywhere. Hold on in defense, diplomacy, politics. Preserve our unity — not just until victory but also after it, to qualitatively restore everything destroyed by occupiers. I believe we will do all of this.

Signed several important laws today, including a law providing additional guarantees for the protection of mass media workers operating in areas where hostilities are ongoing. This will strengthen the protection of our journalists.

A law on ensuring the rights and freedoms of internally displaced persons — bureaucratic barriers that limited assistance to people have been liquidated.

A law on protecting civilian population in case of emergencies and military actions.

Also a law creating conditions for comprehensive thermomodernization of buildings and simplifying the process of restoring housing sector damaged by occupiers' strikes.

And also — important ratification laws, some other acts.

Preparing for another week — as always, full of international activity. Tomorrow already — important talks with European partners. In the coming days I will address the international community, communicate with various audiences — this is very important, especially with student audiences.

No matter what happens and no matter what occupiers plan, we must do our part — to defend our country and care for each other.

The more effective we are in this — all of us, all citizens of Ukraine — the sooner we will achieve victory.

Thank you to everyone who is fighting for Ukraine!

Glory to Ukraine!"