Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of using North Korean ballistic missiles in overnight attacks across Ukraine that killed at least nine people and injured dozens.

Ukrainian officials said six people were killed and 19 others injured in Zaporizhzhia, while three people were killed in the Dnipropetrovsk region.

Zelensky said North Korean ballistic missiles were used in the attack on Zaporizhzhia, describing it as a deliberate assault aimed at causing maximum damage to civilian infrastructure.

He called on Ukraine’s international allies to impose additional sanctions on Russia and increase support for Ukraine’s air defence capabilities.

Explosions were also reported in Kyiv, where Zelensky said an infectious disease hospital was damaged and one person was injured.

Russian strikes on power substations in Kherson and Kharkiv also caused electricity outages, according to the Ukrainian president.

“Every step Russia takes — increasing ballistic missile production, bringing in North Korean equipment, preparing for mobilisation — all of this shows that Moscow is preparing not for peace, but for escalation,” Zelensky said.

The Ukrainian leader’s comments come amid continued concerns over military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang. Ukraine and its Western allies have repeatedly accused North Korea of supplying weapons and ammunition to Russia for use in the war.

Meanwhile, Ukraine continued its long-range drone campaign against targets inside Russia.

A drone attack reportedly triggered fires at a Wildberries facility in Russia’s Voronezh region. The major online retailer, often compared with Amazon, has been targeted in several recent Ukrainian strikes.

The latest exchanges underscore the continuing escalation of long-range attacks between Russia and Ukraine as the war enters another prolonged phase, with both sides increasingly targeting infrastructure and military-related facilities far from the front lines.