Seven killed in Russian strike on Ukraine steel plant as Kyiv alleges North Korean missile use

Seven workers have been killed in a Russian missile attack on a major steel plant in the southeastern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, Ukrainian officials and the plant's parent company said.

The attack struck the Zaporizhstal steelworks as employees were attempting to reach shelters after an air-raid warning was issued, according to Metinvest Group, which owns the facility.

The company said the strike brought production at the plant to a complete stop, while other damaged areas were operating at reduced capacity.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia had used North Korean-supplied ballistic missiles in the attack, alongside Zircon hypersonic missiles and guided aerial bombs. Moscow did not immediately confirm whether North Korean missiles were used, while Pyongyang has not commented on the allegation.

At least 24 people were injured in the attack, according to Ukrainian authorities. Regional Governor Ivan Fedorov released images showing buildings and vehicles engulfed in flames. Four residential buildings were also damaged.

There were no reports of damage to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.

Russia's Defence Ministry said its forces had targeted a metallurgical plant in Zaporizhzhia, claiming the facility produced flat-rolled steel used by Ukraine's military.

The ministry also said Russian forces had struck a Nova Poshta sorting facility in Kyiv, alleging that it was involved in distributing dual-use materials, including components used in drones and electronic warfare systems.

The latest attacks came amid a sharp escalation in strikes between Russia and Ukraine.

Russian authorities said a Ukrainian drone attack on Monday killed at least 13 people and wounded 39 in the Russian city of Nizhnekamsk. Ukraine said the attack targeted the TANECO oil refinery.

Another Ukrainian drone strike overnight killed one person and injured two others in Russia's Voronezh region, according to the regional governor. Fires were reported at warehouse facilities, prompting Russian online retailer Wildberries to evacuate logistics sites in the area.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials said six people were killed overnight in the Dnipropetrovsk and Donetsk regions.

Growing use of ballistic missiles

Russia has intensified its use of ballistic missiles in recent months as Ukrainian forces struggle with shortages of advanced air-defence systems.

Kyiv has repeatedly accused Moscow of using missiles supplied by North Korea, with Ukrainian officials saying such weapons have been deployed against targets across the country since late 2023.

A Ukrainian military intelligence official said last week that a North Korean missile unit had begun deploying in western Russia. Kyiv said the unit could have access to as many as 120 ballistic missiles and six launchers capable of being used against Ukraine.

Any deployment of North Korean missile forces would represent a further expansion of military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang.

Zelenskiy has also warned that North Korean personnel could play a larger role in Russia's war effort. On Saturday, he said between 30,000 and 50,000 North Koreans could be deployed inside Russia to support Moscow's military operations.

The Ukrainian president urged Western allies to respond decisively, arguing that the growing involvement of North Korea demonstrated that Russia was preparing for further escalation rather than seeking an end to the conflict.

The latest exchange of strikes underscores the continuing intensity of the war more than four years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.