Overnight military exchanges between Russia and Ukraine have intensified, with President Volodymyr Zelensky asserting that Moscow is utilizing ballistic missiles supplied by North Korea. A strike on the city of Zaporizhzhia resulted in at least six deaths and at least 19 injuries, according to regional officials who documented damage to industrial facilities and infrastructure.
Zelensky stated in a video address that this marks the first time Russia has demonstrated an inability to prosecute its military operations without external military support. He warned that the integration of North Korean weapons systems and personnel into Russian operations poses a broader threat to European security and the wider international community. The Ukrainian president previously indicated that approximately 50,000 North Korean soldiers are being deployed to bolster Russian defensive efforts.
In response, Ukrainian forces conducted strikes on Russian territory, including an attack on a petrochemical facility in western Siberia and raids on warehouses operated by Wildberries, Russia’s largest online retailer, in the Voronezh region. A separate drone strike on Tatarstan earlier in the week killed at least 13 people and wounded approximately 75 others, with Ukrainian forces claiming responsibility for targeting an oil refinery in the region.
Russia conducted extensive overnight operations, launching approximately 120 drones and multiple missile types against Ukrainian positions. Strikes affected the capital Kyiv, where a hospital sustained damage, as well as other population centers including Sumy, Kherson, and Kharkiv. Power outages resulted from attacks on electrical substations in several regions.
Ukrainian air defense officials have requested media restraint in reporting on the conflict, urging against sensationalized coverage of ammunition shortages. Wildberries confirmed the evacuation of its facilities in the Voronezh region following reports of fire and explosions at a logistics center, though the company has not officially acknowledged the attack.
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