Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of using a North Korean-manufactured ballistic missile in a devastating attack on Kyiv that killed at least 12 civilians and injured 90 others.
In a statement released on April 24, Zelensky said preliminary information indicated that Russia deployed a KN-23 ballistic missile, a North Korean system capable of carrying a one-tonne warhead and considered more powerful than Russia’s own Iskander missile. Ukraine’s special services are currently verifying the details.
The missile struck buildings in Kyiv amid a broader Russian assault involving over 200 missiles and drones launched across multiple Ukrainian cities, according to Ukraine’s State Emergency Service.
“This is further evidence of the criminal alliance between Moscow and Pyongyang,” Zelensky stated on social media, emphasizing the growing military cooperation between the two isolated regimes.
A Ukrainian military source told Reuters that the KN-23 missile, previously found to contain Western-made components, was used in the attack. In a follow-up address on April 25, Zelensky revealed that an investigation uncovered at least 116 components inside the missile sourced from multiple countries, with most parts manufactured by US companies.
“The lack of sufficient pressure on Russia allows them to import such missiles and other weapons—and to use them here, in Europe,” Zelensky warned. “The lack of sufficient pressure on North Korea and its accomplices enables the production of such ballistic missiles.”
Kyiv has long urged its Western allies to impose stricter sanctions on Moscow and its partners and to expedite deliveries of advanced air defense systems. “Ukraine is grateful to everyone around the world who is helping us protect the lives of our people,” Zelensky said.
The April 24 attack also highlights deeper military ties between Russia and North Korea. Kyiv estimates that over 11,000 North Korean troops are currently deployed in support of Russia, primarily in Russia’s Kursk Oblast. According to the South Korean Institute for Defense Analyses (KIDA), North Korea has earned over $20 billion by supplying arms and military support to Russia between August 2023 and March 2025, including the shipment of nearly 16,000 containers of munitions.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has openly acknowledged the partnership, referring to North Korea as a “partner” and suggesting that Pyongyang could participate in any future peace negotiations concerning Ukraine.
The missile attack came just hours after US President Donald Trump reiterated his efforts to broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine. Posting on his Truth Social platform, Trump criticized the timing of the strike as “very bad” and publicly appealed to Putin, writing, “Vladimir, Stop!”
The war between Russia and Ukraine has not remained in these two countries only, but global players have participated in the war indirectly or directly. Ukraine has been seeking help from Europe and the US since the beginning of the war where, as Russia also have taken help from anti-Western ideology nations such as Iran and North Korea.
The war is heading towards a peace deal, and the US has made efforts to end the war as soon as possible. The talks are continuing between the US, Ukraine and Russia, and it is expected that it will end before halfway of 2025.
