Overnight hostilities between Ukraine and Russia persisted, as Volodymyr Zelensky accused Moscow of utilizing missiles from North Korea.
The President of Ukraine stated that the attacks in Zaporizhzhia, which resulted in at least six deaths and injured at least 19 people, were carried out using ballistic missiles from an ally of Russia.
In Voronezh, a city in southern Russia, warehouses owned by the online retailer Wildberries were struck by Ukraine. Often referred to as “Russia’s Amazon,” this company has faced multiple attacks over recent weeks.
The assaults occurred a day following Ukrainian drone strikes on the Russian republic of Tatarstan, located over 1,100 km (680 miles) from Ukraine’s border, which resulted in at least 13 fatalities, including one child.
In a video address on Monday evening, Zelensky stated that “for the first time,” Russia is unable to continue its war efforts without receiving reinforcements from North Korea.
Zelensky stated that as North Korea increases its strikes in Ukraine, within Europe, and deploys more missiles and soldiers, they continue to refine their weaknesses. He warned this development poses a threat to the rest of the world.
In his speech, Zelensky praised the Ukrainian military for a successful air strike on a Russian petrochemical plant in western Siberia on Monday, describing it as a “very significant achievement.”
He pledged “an increase in Ukrainian deep strikes to show Russia and its citizens the necessity of peace.”
This is not the first instance in which Zelensky has accused Russia of obtaining military aid from North Korea.
Over the weekend, he issued a warning that up to 50,000 North Korean soldiers might be deployed to fight alongside Russian forces.
Zaporizhzhia Regional Governor Ivan Fedorov shared images depicting vehicles and buildings engulfed in flames, reporting that Moscow had attacked the city with missiles and guided bombs. Besides those who lost their lives, at least 19 people were injured.
A person sustained injuries during strikes on Kyiv, where air raid sirens blared twice overnight. Explosions were audible on the outskirts of the capital, causing fires to ignite.
Fedorov reported that the Russian attack targeted industrial facilities, infrastructure, and non-residential buildings in Zaporizhzhia.
Ukrainian authorities report that Russia launched 120 drones overnight, along with various types of missiles. However, for the first time, they have not disclosed the number of missiles fired or intercepted.
This comes after an Air Force statement on Monday, which appealed to the media to avoid creating “sensationalized headlines” or promoting “pessimism” regarding the shortage of air defense interceptors.
In Kyiv, a hospital was damaged by a strike; however, officials report that both staff and patients had taken shelter. At the same time, strikes targeting substations in Kherson and Kharkiv led to power outages.
