Russia is targeting residential and administrative buildings in Ukraine's major cities. Reuters
Hit by crippling sanctions and facing boycotts in every sphere following its invasion of Ukraine, Russia has now started targeting residential and administrative buildings in major cities such as Kyiv and Kharkiv.
A video shared by Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Twitter shows an administrative building in Kharkiv - Ukraine's second major city after Kyiv - go up in flames after a Russian missile hits it.
Accusing Russia of targeting civilians in violation of international laws, the Ukrainian ministry tweeted, "Russia is waging war in violation of international humanitarian law. Kills civilians, destroys civilian infrastructure. Russia's main target is large cities that now fired at by its missiles."
Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine's minister of foreign affairs, also tweeted visuals of the missile attack. "Barbaric Russian missile strikes on the central Freedom Square and residential districts of Kharkiv. Putin is unable to break Ukraine down. He commits more war crimes out of fury, murders innocent civilians. The world can and must do more. INCREASE PRESSURE, ISOLATE RUSSIA FULLY!," he tweeted.
At the UN special session on the Ukraine invasion yesterday, Kyiv said 352 civilians, including 14 children, have been killed so far.
About half a million people have been forced to flee the country since Russia attacked it, the UN human rights body has said.
Latest satellite images show a 64-km long convoy of Russian troops stationed outside Kyiv. The US has warned that the Russian attack has been slowed down, but not stopped.
Pentagon spokesman Kirby said fuel shortages, other logistical issues, and unexpectedly stiff resistance from Ukraine's military had slowed the Russian advance.
Nevertheless, he said, the Russians have an overwhelming force that is determined to seize key cities and oust the Ukrainian government.
"Make no mistake, Mr Putin still has at his disposal significant combat power. He hasn't moved all of it into Ukraine," Kirby said.
"They have suffered setbacks, but I don't think we can just assume that they're going to stay set back."
The first round of talks between Moscow and Kyiv in Belarus has not made a breakthrough but a Ukraine representative said the possibility of more negotiations was discussed.