Ukrainian authorities say attacks by Russian forces have killed more than 800 people in the southern region of Kherson over the past year. Saturday marked the first anniversary of the liberation of the city of Kherson from Russian occupation.
The Kherson regional prosecutor's office says more than 800 people, including children, have died due to shelling and other attacks by Russian forces as well as the flooding caused by the destruction of the Kakhovka dam in June.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed that his country will continue counteroffensives while boosting its defense.
He said in a video speech released on Saturday, "Our security and defense forces will respond to the Russian army's strikes on Kherson and the villages of Kherson region."
Zelenskyy also said, "This week has shown that in the Black Sea, in the territory of Crimea, and anywhere else, we will reach the occupier."
Ukraine said on Friday that its forces had damaged Russian naval landing boats in Crimea, which Russia unilaterally annexed in 2014.