Zelensky accuses Russia of terrorism as Ukraine war enters new, uglier phase

A miles-long armored Russian military convoy nearing Kyiv and the targeting of civilian areas in Ukraine's second city, Kharkiv, may herald a new phase of fighting after six days of stiff Ukrainian resistance.

The latest: Russia's Ministry of Defense said Tuesday it will strike facilities in Kyiv belonging to Ukraine's security services and a special operations unit, which Moscow has accused of carrying out cyberattacks. Russia urged Ukrainian citizens living nearby to leave their homes.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky released a new video accusing Russia of war crimes for its siege of Kharkiv, a mostly Russian-speaking city near the border that has endured some of the heaviest shelling of the conflict.

He also spoke to the European Parliament in an emotional address on Tuesday and urged the EU to admit Ukraine as a member, saying that Ukrainians were fighting to be "equal members of Europe." (Watch the full video).

What's happening: Kharkiv's historic Freedom Square — one of the largest city squares in Europe — was hit by a Russian missile strike, causing massive damage to the local city hall. "After the attack on Freedom Square in Kharkiv, Russia is a terrorist state," Zelensky said in a new video.