Russian forces used North Korean ballistic missiles during their attack on Zaporizhzhia on Tuesday (11/08), according to Volodymyr Zelensky, who made the announcement via Telegram. The overnight attack claimed the lives of six people and left 19 others injured in the southeastern Ukrainian city. Meanwhile, Zaporizhzhia’s regional governor, Ivan Fedorov, posted images online showing buildings and vehicles engulfed in flames, while officials reported that an additional 20 people were wounded in the strikes.
Russia silent on use of North Korean missiles
Moscow has not confirmed whether North Korean missiles were used in the Zaporizhzhia attack, and no comment has been issued by Pyongyang either.
Russia has continued its intense bombardment of Ukrainian targets, seeking to exploit Ukraine’s limited advanced air defense capabilities by deploying an increasing number of ballistic missiles — weapons that are particularly difficult to intercept and shoot down.
The Putin–Kim Jong Un agreement
According to Reuters, a Ukrainian military intelligence official stated that a North Korean missile unit has begun deploying in western Russia and could be equipped with as many as 120 ballistic missiles and six launchers for use in strikes against Ukraine.
Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un signed a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty two years ago, which included a mutual assistance clause to be triggered if either country faced external aggression. North Korea subsequently sent approximately 14,000 troops to Russia’s Kursk region in 2024, following a Ukrainian incursion into the area.
North Korea has also supplied Russia with millions of artillery and mortar shells, ballistic missiles, long-range artillery systems, and multiple rocket launchers, according to Ukrainian and independent assessments.
