Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of using North Korean ballistic missiles in strikes that killed at least six people and injured 19 in Zaporizhzhia. Zelensky stated in a video address that this marks the first time Russia has utilized reinforcements from North Korea in the ongoing conflict.
"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," Zelensky said, warning that such actions pose a global danger. He also referred to these strikes as a danger to the rest of the world.
In addition to the attacks in Zaporizhzhia, which Ukrainian officials reported hit industrial facilities, infrastructure, and non-residential buildings, Russia also launched strikes on Kyiv and other regions. Explosions were heard on the outskirts of the capital, causing fires. A hospital in Kyiv sustained damage, though staff and patients were reportedly sheltering. Power outages occurred in Kherson and Kharkiv due to strikes on substations. Two women were injured in a Russian drone strike on Sumy, and civilian vehicles and warehouse buildings were also damaged in the region.
Ukrainian officials stated that Russia fired 120 drones and a variety of missiles overnight, but for the first time, they did not provide figures for the number of missiles fired or intercepted. An earlier Air Force statement had urged media outlets not to spread pessimism regarding a shortage of air defense interceptors.
Zelensky also highlighted a successful Ukrainian air strike on a Russian petrochemical plant in western Siberia as a "very significant achievement." He pledged to continue "deep strikes" aimed at convincing Russia and its citizens that peace is necessary.
This is not the first time Zelensky has alleged military assistance from North Korea. Over the weekend, he warned that approximately 50,000 North Korean soldiers might be sent to support Russian forces.
Meanwhile, warehouses belonging to the online retailer Wildberries, often referred to as Russia's Amazon, were reportedly hit by Ukrainian forces in Voronezh. This incident follows repeated targeting of the company in recent weeks. In July, Ukrainian drone attacks on Wildberries warehouses disrupted operations, with Kyiv stating its aim was to target logistics hubs used for acquiring military equipment and disrupting supplies to the Russian army. Wildberries has not confirmed the attack but stated its facilities in the Voronezh region were evacuated.
The recent attacks come a day after at least 13 people were killed, including one child, in Ukrainian drone strikes on the Russian republic of Tatarstan, located over 1,100 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. The strikes in Tatarstan, one of the deadliest single attacks on Russia since the 2022 full-scale invasion, also injured at least 75 people, with Ukraine's Armed Forces reporting they had hit the city's Tanevo oil refinery. Seven of those killed in Tatarstan were identified as citizens of Uzbekistan.