Zelensky Accuses Russia of Using North Korean Missiles in Ukraine

Sun Sep 06 2026 03:03:59 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Ukraine's president claims Russia deploys North Korean missiles amid nightly strikes, with Zaporizhzhia, Wildberries warehouses, and other targets hit.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has alleged that Russia is employing North Korean‑made missiles to shell Ukrainian territories, a claim that has yet to be substantiated. Overnight, the southern city of Zaporizhzhia suffered a missile raid that killed seven workers and wounded 24. Ukrainian forces also targeted Wildberries logistics hubs in Voronezh and struck the Tatarstan republic, killing 13, including a child. Zelensky’s accusations are part of a broader narrative pointing to North Korean support for Moscow in the conflict. No evidence has been presented to confirm the use of North Korean weapons.

President Zelensky Accuses Russia of Using North Korean Missiles in Ukraine

In a video address on Monday evening, President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Moscow of using a “first‑time” supply of missiles from North Korea to attack Ukrainian territory. He warned that “the more North Korean strikes there are here in Ukraine, the more their missiles and soldiers are used, the more they correct their shortcomings and blind spots” and that this would pose a danger to the world.

Over the preceding night, the city of Zaporizhzhia fell under artillery fire. Seven employees of the Zaporizhstal metallurgical plant were killed and 24 others injured in a missile attack. The city’s regional head Ivan Fedorov posted images of burned vehicles and structures, confirming that guided bombs had been deployed.

In western Russia, Ukrainian drones struck warehouses belonging to online retailer Wildberries in the Voronezh region, interrupting logistics in an area directly bordering Ukraine. Wildberries has not confirmed the attack but has reported that its facilities in the region have been evacuated. Earlier in the year, similar strikes had disrupted operations of many small and medium‑sized Russian businesses.

The week’s earlier offensive in the Tatarstan republic resulted in the deaths of 13 people, including a child, and damaged a refinery’s tank farm. The attacks were the deadliest single strike against Russia since the start of its full‑scale invasion of Ukraine.

Zelensky also hailed a successful air strike on a Russian petrochemical plant in western Siberia on Monday as a “very significant achievement.” He promised further deep strikes to demonstrate to Russia that peace is necessary.

The Ukrainian military says Russia fired 120 drones overnight, though they have not yet provided a total count of missiles launched or intercepted. The air force urges media to avoid sensationalised headlines and to not spread pessimism about the shortage of air defences.

All seven casualties in the Zaporizhzhia strike were workers of the Zaporizhstal plant, whose operations were halted following the attack. In Kyiv, the capital, two air raid sirens sounded during the night, and explosions caused fires on the outskirts without any injuries as staff and patients evacuated a hospital safely.

In Sumy, eastern Ukraine, a Russian drone strike killed a woman and injured two others, according to regional head Serhii Kryvosheienko. The city suffered additional attacks that afternoon with gliding bombs.

Outages were reported in Kharkiv and Kherson after Russian strikes on substations. Thus Ukraine’s offensive continues to sweep into Russian territory, as Zelensky’s comments highlight a growing use of foreign munitions from allies such as North Korea.