Russian attack destroys Kharkiv university, Ukraine's Zelensky says

July 6 (UPI) -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday said a Russian missile strike destroyed a university in the country's second-largest city, Kharkiv.

The Pedagogical University's main building, lecture halls, museum and scientific library were all destroyed in the strike, he said during his nightly televised speech.

"This characterizes the Russian invasion with 100% accuracy," Zelensky said. "When it comes to the definition of barbarism, this strike fits the bill.

"Only an enemy of civilization and humanity can do such things -- strike misses at a university."

The Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor's Office said a guard was killed in the shelling, according to CNN. Authorities have launched a war crimes investigation into the attack, Ukrinform reported.

Situated in the northeast near the border with Russia, Kharkiv has sustained weeks of attacks from the Russian military.

Zelensky said artillery received from Western allies have proven to be effective in Ukraine's defense against Russia.

"Its accuracy is exactly as needed. Our defenders inflict very noticeable strikes on depots and other spots that are important for the logistics of the occupiers," he said in his nightly address.

"And this significantly reduces the offensive potential of the Russian army. The losses of the occupiers will only increase every week, as will the difficulty of supplying them."

Zelensky said he anticipates that Russian losses will increase every week with the help of the weapons.