Moment huge fireball erupts as Russian missile hits Ukrainian government building in Kharkiv

Dramatic CCTV footage reveals the moment a "barbaric" Russian missile smashes into a government building in Ukraine's second-largest city.

At around 8am local time a missile hit a city council building in Kharkiv which was quickly followed by a loud explosion.

The force of the blast was so strong that it caused serious damage to cars in the area and shattered windows of nearby buildings in Independence Square, the Mirror reports.

Follow live updates from Ukraine in our blog here

It is not yet clear if there have been any casualties as a result of the blast but emergency officials in Kharkiv have claimed at least 20 people were injured within the state administration office.

Shelling in Kharkiv (Twitter)

Footage taken nearby shows the devastating impact of the air strike as residents record what little remains of their apartments.

Kharkiv region head Oleg Syneguboc confirmed earlier today that a Russian missile hit the centre of the city and impacted residential areas.

Kharkiv's administration building was hit by Russian shelling (AFP via Getty Images)

Mr Synegubov said: “The Russian enemy is shelling entire residential areas of Kharkiv, where there is no critical infrastructure, where there are no positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine that the Russians could aim at.

“Such attacks are genocide of the Ukrainian people, a war crime against the civilian population."

Other reports suggest the brunt of the damage was taken by the city square itself as pictures reveal burnt-out cars and debris all over the street.

Russian attacks in Kharkiv's residential areas has resulted in excessive damage to apartments and vehicles (UKRAINE STATE EMERGENCY PRESS SERVIVE HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

Despite the attack, the building is still standing with multiple windows shattered.

Ukrainian officials previously said at least 11 people have been killed by enemy missiles launched towards Kharkiv as of February 28.

Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has called or more harsher sanctions against Russia after the "barbaric" attack on Kharkiv.

He said on social media: “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

“The world can and must do more. INCREASE PRESSURE, ISOLATE RUSSIA FULLY.”