Ukraine revealed that Russia launched multiple waves of drone and missile attacks nationwide overnight, resulting in at least nine deaths and dozens injured. Ukraine also accused Russia of using North Korean missiles to strike the city of Zaporizhzhia. Meanwhile, President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that military cooperation between Russia and North Korea is expanding globally, affecting not only Ukraine but also neighboring Asian countries such as Japan and South Korea.
President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the city of Zaporizhzhia in southeastern Ukraine suffered the most severe impact, with six fatalities and 19 injuries. He said Russia fired ballistic missiles from North Korea, hypersonic Zircon missiles, and guided bombs aiming primarily to destroy civilian infrastructure. Additionally, in the Dnipropetrovsk region, three more deaths were reported from drone and missile attacks.
The accusation regarding the use of North Korean missiles has not been supported by publicly disclosed evidence from Ukraine, and Russia has not confirmed these claims.
In Kyiv, air raid sirens sounded after midnight, followed by loud explosions. Another alert occurred around 3 a.m. Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported that Kyiv was targeted by ballistic missile strikes and medical teams were dispatched to handle emergencies.
Reports emerged of a warehouse fire on the city outskirts, with at least one person injured. A children's hospital was also attacked, but patients and medical staff were able to take shelter in time. The Ukrainian Ministry of Health released images showing broken windows and debris inside the hospital and confirmed no children or medical personnel were injured.
Ukrainian authorities stated that Russia deployed about 120 drones along with various missiles during the overnight assault. However, the Ukrainian Air Force did not disclose the exact number of missiles fired or intercepted. Previously, the Air Force urged the media to avoid alarming headlines about shortages of interceptor missiles for air defense systems but acknowledged challenges due to the lack of weapons to counter ballistic missiles.
The Russian Defense Ministry said the military conducted precision ground-based strikes targeting military-industrial factories and transport and logistics centers in Kyiv and Zaporizhzhia, without addressing allegations of North Korean missile use.
Zelensky warned of strengthening military ties between Russia and North Korea, stating Russia received additional ballistic missiles from North Korea and claimed that between 30,000 and 50,000 North Korean troops might have been sent to Russia. However, Ukraine has yet to provide evidence or details on the source or timing of these troop deployments.
Zelensky said this is the first time Russia cannot wage war without North Korean support. He warned that the more North Korean missiles and troops are used in Ukraine, the more North Korea will learn and improve its military capabilities from battlefield experience, which could pose a threat to other countries worldwide.
He also cautioned that this cooperation threatens not only Ukraine but potentially North Korea's neighbors like Japan and South Korea. Zelensky called on Asia-Pacific allied countries to support Ukraine's air defense systems.
Russia and North Korea signed a defense cooperation treaty in 2024, before North Korea reportedly sent thousands of troops to assist Russia in pushing Ukrainian forces out of Russia’s Kursk region. Western countries, Ukraine, and South Korea have long accused North Korea of supplying weapons and ammunition to Russia.
In recent weeks, Russia has increased missile attacks using ballistic missiles, which are high-speed and difficult to intercept. Advanced air defense systems such as the U.S. Patriot system are among the few capable of countering these weapons.
Meanwhile, Ukraine has stepped up long-range drone strikes on targets inside Russia, focusing on oil infrastructure and warehouses of e-commerce companies. The Ukrainian government described these as retaliatory strikes aimed at reducing Russia’s logistics capabilities and revenue.
Zelensky also mentioned Ukrainian airstrikes on a petrochemical plant in western Siberia, calling it a significant success for the Ukrainian military. He declared plans to continue targeting locations within Russian territory to pressure Russia to realize the need to end the war.
The United Nations stated that the escalation of attacks between Russia and Ukraine has caused civilian deaths in Ukraine to reach their highest levels since the early months of the 2022 conflict.