Zelensky accuses Russia of using North Korean missiles as Ukraine strikes deep inside Russia
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says Russia used North Korean ballistic missiles in Zaporizhzhia strikes, while Kyiv targets Russian logistics and oil facilities.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Zelensky accuses Russia of using North Korean missiles in Zaporizhzhia, killing 6 and injuring 19.
- Ukraine retaliates with drone strikes on Wildberries warehouses in Voronezh and Tanevo oil refinery in Tatarstan.
- Zelensky warns that utilizing North Korean weapons and troops helps Pyongyang correct its military shortcomings.
The conflict between Ukraine and Russia escalated overnight as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Moscow of deploying ballistic missiles supplied by North Korea. The strike hit the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, resulting in at least six deaths and injuring 19 others.
Ivan Fedorov, the regional governor of Zaporizhzhia, shared footage of burning vehicles and structures, confirming that industrial facilities, infrastructure, and non-residential buildings were severely damaged. Meanwhile, in Kyiv, air raid sirens sounded twice during the night, and explosions near the capital's outskirts triggered fires. A local hospital sustained damage, though staff and patients managed to take shelter safely, while power outages were reported following strikes on electrical substations in Kherson and Kharkiv.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
In response, Ukraine launched deep counter-strikes targeting Russian territory. A logistics center belonging to Wildberries, often dubbed Russia's Amazon, was hit in the Voronezh region near the Ukrainian border, causing explosions and fires and prompting an evacuation. Earlier in the week, a major drone attack struck the Tanevo oil refinery in Russia's Tatarstan republic, located more than 1,100 kilometers (680 miles) from the border. This marked one of the deadliest single attacks inside Russia since the 2002 full-scale invasion, leaving at least 13 dead—including a child—and injuring 75 people, with the Uzbek consulate confirming seven citizens of Uzbekistan were among the casualties.
"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"
Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Ukraine's strategic shift toward long-range strikes on domestic Russian infrastructure, such as fuel refineries and logistics hubs, aims to disrupt the supply chains feeding the Russian frontline. At the same time, the deepening military alignment between Moscow and Pyongyang—incorporating foreign ballistic missiles and troops—highlights the internationalization of the conflict and raises security alarms across Europe and beyond.
Zelensky stressed that Russia's reliance on North Korean military hardware allows Pyongyang's forces to evaluate and refine their capabilities under real combat conditions, posing a broader threat to global stability. He vowed that Kyiv will continue executing deep-strike operations to demonstrate to Moscow that pursuing peace is ultimately necessary.
Source: BBC World
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