Lviv (Ukraine)(AP): Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russian troops in southern Ukraine have been carrying out torture and kidnappings, and he called on the world Sunday to respond.

Torture chambers are built there, Zelenskyy said in an evening address to the nation. They abduct representatives of local governments and anyone deemed visible to local communities.

Zelenskyy said humanitarian aid has been stolen, creating famine.

In occupied parts of the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, he said, the Russians are creating separatist states and introducing Russian currency, the ruble.

Intensified Russian shelling of Ukraine's second-largest city, Kharkiv, has killed 18 people and wounded 106 in the last four days alone, Zelenskyy said.

This is nothing but deliberate terror. Mortars, artillery against ordinary residential neighbourhoods, against ordinary civilians, he said.

He said a planned Russian offensive in eastern Ukraine will begin in the near future.

Zelensky again called for increased sanctions against Russia, including its entire banking sector and oil industry. Everyone in Europe and America already sees Russia openly using energy to destabilize Western societies, Zelenskyy said. All of this requires greater speed from Western countries in preparing a new, powerful package of sanctions. (AP)

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Afzalpur: A 24-year-old police constable Dhareppa died as the motorbike he was riding went out of control and toppled on the road while traveling near Gobbur B village on Saturday morning.

Dhareppa, learned to be a resident of Shirawala village, was reportedly traveling back home to the village from Kalaburagi when the accident occurred and the bike fell on the road.

The police constable, who was grievously injured in the accident, is said to have died on the spot.

Aland Deputy Superintendent of Police Thammaraya Patil, Circle Inspector Lakhan Masaguppi and Devalagangapura Sub-inspector Sangeetha Shinde visited the accident spot and inspected it.

A case has been registered and investigation is underway.