Ukraine Says Russia Used North Korean Missiles in Deadly Zaporizhzhya Attack

Ukraine says Russia used North Korean ballistic missiles in a deadly overnight strike on the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhya, with seven people killed and 24 others injured.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on August 11 that the attack involved North Korean ballistic missiles, Russian Zircon anti-ship missiles and guided aerial bombs. He accused Russian forces of deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure.

Regional governor Ivan Fedorov said seven people were killed in the attack, prompting authorities to declare August 12 a day of mourning.

The strikes also caused casualties elsewhere in Ukraine. Ukrainian officials reported that six additional people were killed in Russian attacks on the Dnipropetrovsk and Donetsk regions.

Russia's Defense Ministry said its forces had targeted the Zaporizhstal steel plant, claiming the facility produces metal used by Ukraine's military.

Metinvest, the company that owns the plant, said the attack struck as workers were attempting to reach shelters after an air-raid warning. Seven employees were killed, the company said, while damage forced the plant to suspend operations.

The reported use of North Korean missiles comes as Ukraine faces continuing difficulties in defending its cities against Russian missile and drone attacks. Kyiv has warned that supplies of US-made Patriot air-defence systems and other interceptor missiles are under growing pressure.

Russia has used North Korean weapons during its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which began in February 2022. Ukrainian authorities have repeatedly reported the use of North Korean ballistic missiles in attacks on civilian areas.

Officials previously said a North Korean missile was likely used in a Russian strike on a village in the Dnipropetrovsk region on July 30 that killed six members of the same family.

The alleged expansion of North Korean military support for Russia has also raised concerns in Kyiv.

Reuters recently cited a Ukrainian military intelligence official as saying a North Korean missile unit had begun deploying to Russia's Voronezh region. The official said the unit could have as many as 120 ballistic missiles and six launchers.

Zelenskyy has also warned that Russia could seek additional North Korean military personnel. In a July 25 Telegram post, he said Moscow was preparing to receive another 30,000 North Korean troops in the Voronezh region.

About 12,000 North Korean soldiers were deployed to Russia's Kursk region in 2024, according to Ukrainian and Western officials, after Ukrainian forces launched a surprise incursion into the area.

The growing military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang has become an increasingly important factor in the war, with Ukraine warning that North Korean weapons and personnel could help Russia sustain its campaign as Kyiv struggles to maintain sufficient air-defence and military supplies.