President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the nation, speaking about the brutal shelling of flooded territories by Russian terrorists and another sanctions step against those serving evil.

"Dear Ukrainians,

Today we managed to free 95 of our people from Russian captivity, including 31 defenders of Mariupol. Most are regular soldiers and sergeants, two officers. Armed Forces, National Guard, Border Service. Thank you to our team - Budanov, Yermak, Maliuk, Lubinskyi - for the exchange efforts, thank you for this result. Well done, boys! We must free every Ukrainian from Russian captivity.

We continue our rescue operation in southern Ukraine and have managed to evacuate nearly 4 thousand people so far. Dozens of towns and villages remain flooded, with the worst situation still on temporarily occupied parts of Kherson region.

Once again we thank our people - soldiers, police officers, rescuers. I especially thank volunteers, doctors, local authorities - everyone helping to save lives after the Kakhovska HES disaster and particularly those who help rescue people from occupied territories. This is extremely difficult and dangerous, it's a special kind of heroism. Thank you for every life saved!

Russian terrorists continue shelling evacuation routes, evacuation points, boats evacuating people. Today one such shelling resulted in three deaths, my condolences to the families... Ten more were injured, including two police officers. This was an evacuation from Kardachynka village on the left bank of Kherson region. Occupants created this catastrophe by blowing up a dam and then shelled boats evacuating people from flooded towns and villages. Even animals are morally superior to you, Russian state.

These days representatives of the International Criminal Court visited Kherson region. On the first day after the disaster, the Prosecutor General sent an appropriate appeal regarding the investigation of this catastrophe to the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court and work has already begun.

It is very important that international justice representatives saw with their own eyes the consequences of this Russian terror attack and heard how Russian terror continues. And continues in the most cynical and brutal shelling of flooded territories, evacuation territories... We are supporting and will continue to support a fully independent and objective investigation by the International Criminal Court. All our law enforcement agencies and other institutions are fully involved in this process. Full access to affected territories, witnesses, all information and evidence. This investigation is very important for the security of the entire world.

Full and just responsibility of Russian terrorists and the terrorist state itself - this is an essential prerequisite that such evil will not repeat anywhere in the world.

Today our country made another sanctions step. Against those who serve evil, as has become the Russian state. Against those who helped destroy freedom on Russian territory and play a key role in repressions on temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories and on Russian territory itself. 178 such individuals were added to our sanctions lists at the request of the Security Service of Ukraine. And we will do everything so that each helper of Russian dictatorship from this list will answer realistically for all they have done against people and freedom. For every broken life and for every criminal decision that helped Russia turn into a terrorist state.

And one more thing. Of course, I am grateful to our soldiers for today's efforts. To each of our combat brigades, to each unit... OSUV "Khortytsia", "Tavria" - everyone who is in battle now, on positions, helping... Thank you! Thank you for every step, every fight, every occupant destroyed!

Glory to our heroes! Glory to all who defend the life of Ukraine and Ukrainians!

We will win!

Glory to Ukraine!"