Ukraine's president has described the bombardment of Kharkiv, which has killed dozens of civilians, as a war crime.

Nine people, including three children, were killed on Monday after suspected Russian cluster bombs targeted residential buildings in Ukraine's second city.

In comments made before the latest strike in central Kharkiv, Volodymyr Zelensky said there were eyewitness accounts of civilians being deliberately targeted.

"Russian forces brutally fired on Kharkiv from jet artillery," Zelensky said during a late night address to the Ukrainian people.

"It was clearly a war crime. Peaceful city. Peaceful residential areas. No military facilities. Dozens of eyewitness records prove that this is not a single false volley, but the deliberate destruction of people. The Russians knew where they were shooting."

The International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, wants to open an investigation into Russia's invasion after he said he believed there was "reasonable basis" to believe war crimes or crimes against humanity had been committed in Ukraine.

BBC