Zelenskyy: Russia used North Korean missiles in Zaporizhzhia strike; warns of regional danger

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has again alleged that Russia is using North Korean missiles, most recently in a strike on the city of Zaporizhzhia that killed at least six people and injured 19. "For the first time, [Russia] cannot wage war without reinforcements from North Korea," Zelenskyy stated in a video address on Monday, emphasizing the growing reliance of Russian forces on Pyongyang's support.

Zelenskyy also reiterated claims that North Korea plans to send additional troops and weapons to aid Russia's war effort in Ukraine. He previously stated on July 25 that Russia had requested 30,000 North Korean troops and, on Aug. 8, that Pyongyang had decided to send up to 50,000. Zelenskyy has urged South Korea to increase cooperation and provide anti-aircraft weapon systems.

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For the first time, [Russia] cannot wage war without reinforcements from North Korea.

Amid these accusations, both Russia and Ukraine have intensified their air strikes and bombing campaigns. Zelenskyy described a Ukrainian air strike on a Russian oil refinery in western Siberia as a "very significant achievement," vowing more deep strikes to compel Russia toward peace. Ukraine has been increasingly targeting sites within Russia's interior, including logistics warehouses for major Russian online retailers.

Meanwhile, Ukraine faces growing losses due to a shortage of anti-aircraft missiles. Russia has continued its missile and drone attacks across Ukraine. On Tuesday, a Ukrainian drone attack in the Russian republic of Tatarstan, over 1,100 km from the border, killed 13 people, including one child, marking one of the deadliest strikes on Russian territory since the full-scale invasion began in 2022.

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The more North Korean strikes there are here in Ukraine, in Europe, the more their missiles and soldiers are used, the more they correct their shortcomings and blind spots, the greater the danger will later be for Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Philippines and other countries in the region.