President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of using North Korean ballistic missiles in recent attacks on Ukraine, a claim he made without presenting public evidence. Strikes on Zaporizhzhia killed seven Metinvest workers and wounded dozens, while earlier Ukrainian strikes inside Russia hit targets in Tatarstan and logistics hubs such as Wildberries in Voronezh. Ukrainian officials say Russia launched about 120 drones overnight and acknowledge they did not provide a precise missile tally; the conflict continues to produce both military and civilian casualties.
Zelensky Alleges Russia Is Using North Korean Missiles In Strikes On Ukraine
[Reuters]
Ukrainian and Russian forces exchanged attacks overnight as President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Moscow of using ballistic missiles supplied by North Korea in strikes on Ukrainian territory.
Zaporizhzhia Strike And Civilian Toll
Ukrainian officials said strikes on the southern city of Zaporizhzhia killed seven people and wounded at least 24. Regional authorities reported that all seven fatalities were employees of the Metinvest metallurgical plant, which has since suspended operations. Photos shared by Zaporizhzhia regional head Ivan Fedorov showed vehicles and buildings burning after what he described as missile and guided-bomb strikes.
Allegations Of North Korean Weapons And Personnel
In a video address, Mr Zelensky said that "for the first time" Russia "cannot wage war without reinforcements from North Korea," claiming Moscow had begun to rely on Pyongyang for missiles and personnel. He warned that the more North Korean missiles and soldiers are used in Ukraine and elsewhere in Europe, the greater the risk that North Korea will learn to correct technical shortcomings — a development he said would create broader danger.
Mr Zelensky did not present direct public evidence to substantiate the claim in the address. This follows repeated accusations by Ukrainian and some Western officials that Russia has received military assistance from North Korea since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Reports Of North Korean Troops And Casualties
Kyiv has previously said around 11,000 North Korean soldiers were deployed to help Moscow after a cross-border incursion into Russia's Kursk region in August 2024, and Mr Zelensky has warned that up to 50,000 could be sent to fight alongside Russian forces. Earlier reporting by Western officials—cited to the BBC in January 2025—said North Korean troops in that sector suffered heavy casualties, approaching roughly 40% over a three-month period.
Strikes Inside Russia And Logistics Targets
The exchanges included Ukrainian strikes deep inside Russia. The previous day, Ukrainian drone attacks on the Russian republic of Tatarstan reportedly killed at least 13 people, including a child, and injured dozens—reports from the region put injuries as high as 75. Ukrainian forces said they had struck the Tanevo oil refinery; social media images from the scene showed large plumes of smoke.
In western Russia's Voronezh region, warehouses belonging to Wildberries—often described as "Russia's Amazon"—were reported ablaze after explosions at a logistics centre. Wildberries said regional facilities had been evacuated but had not formally confirmed a strike. Kyiv has previously said it targets logistics hubs it believes support Russian military procurement and supply chains; earlier strikes on Wildberries warehouses disrupted operations for many small and medium-sized Russian businesses.
Wider Military And Civilian Impact
Ukrainian officials said Russia launched around 120 drones overnight and "a range of different missiles" but, for the first time, did not specify a total number of missiles fired or intercepted. The Ukrainian Air Force urged media outlets not to publish "sensationalised headlines" or spread "pessimism" regarding shortages of air-defence interceptors.
In Kyiv, one person was reported injured after night-time strikes triggered air-raid sirens and explosions on the capital's outskirts. A children's hospital sustained damage but staff and patients had sheltered and no injuries were reported there. In Sumy, regional authorities said two women were wounded in a drone strike and later reported one person killed in a separate gliding-bomb attack. Attacks on substations in Kherson and Kharkiv caused local power outages.
What Officials Have Said
"The more North Korean strikes there are here in Ukraine, in Europe, the more their missiles and soldiers are used, the more they correct their shortcomings and blind spots," Mr Zelensky said, urging international attention to what he called a growing risk.
Ukrainian authorities continue to assert links between Russian strikes and North Korean-supplied weaponry, while also emphasising the need to limit public alarm over air-defence shortages. Independent verification of specific weapons transfers or the precise origins of missiles used in individual strikes remains limited in the public record.
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