Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he was "shocked" by the failure of the United Nations and the Red Cross to help after the destruction of the massive Kakhovka dam, while his prime minister called for urgent help from international humanitarian organizations.

"Even though the disaster happened a few hours ago, they are not here," Zelensky told German newspapers Bild and Die Welt, as well as Politico.

"We did not receive an answer. I am shocked," he added.

Prime Minister Denis Schmeichel called on international humanitarian organizations to provide immediate assistance.

"The Russian occupiers are not even trying to help those people, they let them die," Schmihal said in English in a video posted on Telegram.

"We call on you to take responsibility for evacuating people from the Kherson region under Russian occupation. We have to save the lives of people who were sentenced to death by the occupiers," added the Ukrainian Prime Minister.

Zelensky said in the interview that Russian soldiers fired from a distance while rescue efforts were underway.

"As soon as our people try to save them, they shoot at them," the Ukrainian president said.