Russia using Grad missiles in Kharkiv, alleges Ukraine

The regional head in the Kharkiv area has alleged that Vladimir Putin's forces have been targeting residential areas with Grad missiles - a truck mounted artillery system capable of firing dozens of rockets simultaneously.

Oleh Synehubov wrote on the social media outlet Telegram that Russian troops have fired on the "square in front of the regional state administration office" and said that officials are "now estimating casualties among the civilian population," BBC reports.

Local emergency officials wrote on Facebook that six civilians were killed during shelling of the state administration office, including one child. The BBC cannot verify this claim.

"Our enemy has no other option but commit treacherous war crimes like this because our army is strong and we are holding our defences", Synehubov said.

Under the Geneva Convention, which Russia has ratified, the deliberate targeting of civilians during an armed conflict is considered a war crime.