Russian forces employed a North Korean missile in an attack on a Ukrainian village that resulted in the deaths of five family members, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported on Friday. If confirmed, this would mark the first known use of such weaponry in the conflict since August 2025 and suggests Moscow has replenished its stockpile amid intensified missile strikes.
According to Zelensky, one missile struck a home in Radushne, near Kryvyi Rih in central Ukraine, flattening the building and killing two parents and three of their children. He added that the whereabouts of their four other children and a 1½-year-old grandson remain unknown. Both the Ukrainian and Russian sides deny intentionally targeting civilians, with the invasion having begun in February 2022.
The attack came amid a broader wave of Russian missile and drone strikes launched overnight, which Ukrainian officials said caused at least nine fatalities. Ukraine continues to face significant challenges in air defense, struggling with a shortage of advanced systems.
A military source familiar with the situation said Ukrainian radar detected two missile trajectories consistent with North Korean KN-23 or KN-24 short-range ballistic missiles heading toward Kryvyi Rih. The presence of two tracked missiles typically indicates a launch of four missiles in total, though the source was unaware of additional impact sites. Fragments recovered from the scene are currently under analysis by foreign experts to verify the missile type, though the source expressed confidence that a North Korean missile was used.
Since late 2023, Russia has incorporated North Korean KN-23 and KN-24 missiles into its arsenal in Ukraine. These missiles reportedly carry larger warheads and have longer ranges than Russia's domestically produced Iskander short-range ballistic missiles, though with reduced accuracy. A military source noted that this shift reflects Russia’s increasing reliance on ballistic missiles such as the Iskander 9M723, which can only be intercepted by advanced U.S.-supplied Patriot air-defense systems—a capability Ukraine currently lacks in sufficient numbers.
Earlier on Friday, Poland, a NATO member bordering Ukraine, reported discovering a 10-meter-wide crater in a field about 80 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, attributing it to a likely Russian missile strike.
The Russian Defense Ministry announced that its recent attacks targeted Ukrainian military infrastructure, including airbases, arms factories, communications and logistics centers, as well as drone manufacturing and storage facilities. The ministry did not comment directly on Zelensky’s assertion regarding North Korean missiles, and the Ukrainian Air Force had not issued a response at the time of reporting. Attempts to reach North Korea’s embassy in London for comment were unsuccessful.