Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has alleged that Russian forces used a North Korean ballistic missile during a strike on a village near the city of Kryvyi Rih in central Ukraine. According to Zelenskyy, the attack resulted in the deaths of five members of the same family and caused significant damage to residential properties in the area.
The Ukrainian President described the incident as another example of the humanitarian impact of the ongoing conflict and renewed calls for stronger international support for Ukraine's air defence capabilities. He also reiterated concerns over what Ukraine describes as growing military cooperation between Russia and North Korea.
According to Ukrainian authorities, emergency services responded to the affected village soon after the strike, where rescue teams searched damaged buildings and provided assistance to survivors. Local officials reported that several homes sustained extensive damage, while nearby infrastructure was also affected by the explosion.
Zelenskyy stated that preliminary assessments by Ukrainian investigators indicated that the weapon used in the attack was a ballistic missile believed to have originated from North Korea. However, no publicly available forensic evidence has been released to independently confirm the claim.
At the time of reporting, Russia had not issued an official response to the allegation. Moscow has consistently denied accusations regarding unlawful attacks on civilians and has previously rejected claims concerning the use of foreign-supplied ballistic missiles in its military operations. The allegation also has not been independently verified by international monitoring organisations.
The United States, South Korea, Japan, and several Western governments have previously expressed concerns about alleged military cooperation between Russia and North Korea. They have accused North Korea of supplying military equipment to Russia in violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions. Both Russia and North Korea have denied allegations that any arms transfers violate international sanctions.
The reported strike comes as fighting continues across several regions of Ukraine, with missile and drone attacks remaining a significant feature of the conflict. Civilian areas have frequently been affected, resulting in casualties, displacement, and damage to critical infrastructure.
International humanitarian organisations have repeatedly called on all parties to the conflict to comply with international humanitarian law and take all possible precautions to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure. The United Nations has also continued to monitor reports of attacks affecting residential areas throughout the conflict.
Defence analysts note that verifying the origin of missile systems used during active conflicts often requires detailed technical examination, including analysis of missile fragments, launch characteristics, satellite imagery, and intelligence assessments. Such investigations may take considerable time before independent conclusions can be reached.
The latest allegation is likely to increase international scrutiny of the reported military relationship between Russia and North Korea. It may also lead to renewed diplomatic discussions regarding sanctions enforcement, regional security, and continued international support for Ukraine.
As the conflict continues, international observers are closely monitoring developments while awaiting additional information from independent investigators and official sources. At present, the claim that a North Korean ballistic missile was used in the strike remains an allegation made by Ukrainian authorities and has not been independently confirmed.