Overnight hostilities between Ukraine and Russia continued unabated, with Volodymyr Zelensky accusing Moscow of deploying missiles from North Korea.
The Ukrainian President reported that the attacks in Zaporizhzhia, which caused the deaths of at least six people and injured 19, were executed using ballistic missiles supplied by a Russian ally.
In Voronezh, southern Russia, warehouses belonging to the online retailer Wildberries were hit by Ukraine. Known as “Russia’s Amazon,” this company has been targeted multiple times in recent weeks.
These incidents followed Ukrainian drone strikes on Tatarstan, a Russian republic over 1,100 km (680 miles) from Ukraine’s border, leading to at least 13 fatalities, including a child.
In a Monday evening video address, Zelensky stated that “for the first time,” Russia requires reinforcements from North Korea to sustain its military campaign.
He warned that North Korea’s increased engagement in Ukraine and Europe, deploying more missiles and troops, signifies a growing threat to global security.
Zelensky commended the Ukrainian military for a successful air strike on a Russian petrochemical plant in western Siberia, calling it a “significant achievement.”
He promised an escalation in Ukrainian deep strikes to underscore to Russia and its citizens the importance of peace.
Zelensky previously alleged Russian acquisition of military support from North Korea.
Over the weekend, he cautioned that up to 50,000 North Korean soldiers might join Russian forces in combat.
Zaporizhzhia Regional Governor Ivan Fedorov shared images of vehicles and buildings ablaze, reporting that Moscow had attacked with missiles and guided bombs. Besides the deceased, at least 19 were injured.
A person was wounded during raids on Kyiv, where air raid sirens sounded twice overnight. Explosions on the city’s outskirts ignited fires.
Fedorov indicated that industrial facilities, infrastructure, and non-residential buildings in Zaporizhzhia were targeted.
Ukrainian authorities noted Russia launched 120 drones overnight alongside various missiles. For the first time, however, they did not disclose the number of missiles fired or intercepted.
This followed an Air Force statement urging media against creating “sensationalized headlines” or fostering “pessimism” about air defense interceptor shortages.
In Kyiv, a hospital sustained damage during a strike; fortunately, staff and patients had taken shelter. Concurrently, strikes on substations in Kherson and Kharkiv resulted in power outages
BBC
