KYIV, Ukraine — Russia and Ukraine exchanged overnight strikes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Moscow of using North Korean ballistic missiles in an attack on Zaporizhzhia that killed at least six people and injured 19 others. The latest escalation came amid continued long-range attacks between the two sides and follows deadly Ukrainian drone strikes on Russia’s Tatarstan region.
- Zaporizhzhia attack: At least six people were killed and 19 injured after Russian strikes hit the city.
- North Korean missiles: Zelensky said Russia was using ballistic missiles supplied by North Korea.
- Kyiv and other regions: Russian strikes also damaged a hospital in Kyiv and infrastructure in Kherson and Kharkiv.
- Russian territory targeted: A Wildberries logistics facility in Voronezh was reportedly hit, while Ukraine claimed strikes on Russian industrial targets.
Russia accused of using North Korean missiles in Zaporizhzhia
Zaporizhzhia Regional Governor Ivan Fedorov said Russian forces attacked the city with missiles and guided bombs. Industrial facilities, infrastructure and non-residential buildings were among the sites reported damaged.
Fedorov also released images showing burning vehicles and buildings following the attack. The reported casualties make the Zaporizhzhia strike one of the most serious incidents in the latest overnight exchange.
Zelensky said the attack involved ballistic missiles from North Korea, which has been providing military assistance to Russia, according to the Ukrainian president’s account.
“For the first time” Russia “cannot wage war without reinforcements from North Korea”.
Zelensky argued that continued battlefield use of North Korean weapons and personnel could allow them to identify weaknesses and improve their capabilities, creating a wider security concern.
Russian strikes hit Kyiv and other Ukrainian regions
Ukrainian officials said Russia launched 120 drones overnight along with several types of missiles. However, the Ukrainian Air Force did not provide a figure for the number of missiles launched or intercepted.
The omission came after an Air Force statement urged media outlets not to publish sensationalised headlines or spread pessimism concerning a reported shortage of air-defence interceptors.
In Kyiv, one person was injured and a hospital was damaged during the overnight attacks. Officials said medical staff and patients had moved into shelter. Explosions were also reported on the outskirts of the capital, where fires broke out.
Strikes on electrical substations in Kherson and Kharkiv caused power outages. In Sumy, two women aged 52 and 66 were injured in a Russian drone strike, according to Sergiy Kryvosheenko, head of the Sumy City Military Administration.
Kryvosheenko said the Sumy attacks also damaged civilian vehicles, warehouses and infrastructure facilities.
Ukraine strikes Russian facilities including Wildberries site
On Russian territory, reports emerged of explosions and a fire at a logistics centre belonging to Wildberries in the Voronezh region, which borders Ukraine. The company said its facilities in the region had been evacuated but had not confirmed that the site was attacked.
Wildberries, one of Russia’s largest online retailers, has previously faced disruption after Ukrainian drone attacks on its warehouses. Ukraine said those operations targeted logistics hubs that it believed were being used to support Russian military supply networks.
Tatarstan strikes left at least 13 dead
The latest attacks followed Ukrainian drone strikes on Russia’s Tatarstan republic a day earlier. At least 13 people were killed, including one child, in those attacks, according to the supplied report.
Ukraine said it had targeted industrial facilities in the region, which lies more than 1,100 kilometres from the Ukrainian border. Ukraine’s Armed Forces said its forces had struck the Tanevo oil refinery.
Verified images cited in the report showed flames and large plumes of smoke following the strike. The Uzbek consulate in Tatarstan said seven of those killed were Uzbek citizens.
Zelensky signals further Ukrainian deep strikes
Zelensky also described a Ukrainian air strike on a Russian petrochemical plant in western Siberia as a significant military achievement. He said Ukraine would continue carrying out long-range attacks intended to pressure Russia.
The Ukrainian president has previously accused Moscow of receiving military support from North Korea. Over the weekend, he also warned that up to 50,000 North Korean soldiers could be sent to fight alongside Russian forces.
What happens next in the Russia-Ukraine war?
The latest exchange indicates that long-range strikes remain a major feature of the conflict, with both countries targeting military, industrial, logistics and infrastructure sites far from the immediate front line. The allegations surrounding North Korean missiles and personnel add another dimension to the ongoing confrontation.
FAQ: What happened in Zaporizhzhia?
Russian forces reportedly struck Zaporizhzhia with missiles and guided bombs, killing at least six people and injuring 19. Ukrainian officials said industrial facilities, infrastructure and non-residential buildings were damaged.
FAQ: What happened at the Wildberries facility?
Reports said a fire and explosions occurred at a Wildberries logistics centre in Russia’s Voronezh region. The company said its regional facilities had been evacuated but had not confirmed that the site had been attacked.
