During his nightly video address to the nation on Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russian forces had "completely destroyed" Ukraine's eastern industrial Donbas region.
Zelenskyy also accused Russia of carrying out a campaign of indiscriminate bombing in the region, as it has intensified its military campaign there following Russia's failed effort to encircle the capital, Kyiv.
He added that Russia was intent on killing as many Ukrainians as possible and doing as much damage to the country, adding that it is the politics and policy of genocide.
"It is hell there — and that is not an exaggeration," Zelenskyy said.
He added that 12 were dead following a "brutal and absolutely senseless bombardment" of Severodonetsk on Thursday.