North Korean missile used in deadly Russian strike on Kyiv, Ukraine says

A ballistic missile linked to North Korea killed at least eight in Kyiv, marking a concerning escalation in Russia's use of foreign weaponry, Ukrainian sources reveal.

A Ukrainian military source told Reuters on Thursday that a North Korean-made ballistic missile was used in a Russian aerial attack that killed at least eight people in Kyiv overnight. The missile, identified as a KN-23 (KN-23A), struck a residential building in the Sviatoshynskyi district, west of the capital’s centre.

The Ukrainian source stated that around 10 people remain unaccounted for, possibly trapped beneath rubble. Emergency services are continuing search and rescue operations at the scene.

Russia has not acknowledged the use of North Korean weaponry in the strike. The Kremlin has reiterated its claim that it targets only military or "military-adjacent" infrastructure. Both Russia and North Korea deny engaging in arms transfers that would breach United Nations embargoes.

Military ties between Moscow and Pyongyang have intensified since Russia’s international isolation following its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Ukrainian officials allege that North Korea has supplied Russia with artillery shells, rocket systems, ballistic missiles, and even troops.

Ukraine’s military intelligence agency estimates that Pyongyang has delivered 148 ballistic missiles—specifically KN-23 and KN-24 models—by early 2025. The KN-23 (KN-23A) missile, in particular, carries a warhead of up to one tonne, making it more powerful than Russia’s own Iskander systems.

While Ukraine has not officially confirmed the missile type in its public statements, the military acknowledged the use of seven ballistic missiles in the overnight strike, broadly categorising them as Iskander-M or KN-23 variants.

North Korea’s growing involvement in the Ukraine conflict has raised international alarm, including among South Korea and its regional allies, who fear potential future applications of wartime experience gained by Pyongyang.

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