North Korean ballistic missile kills 7 steelworkers on their way to shelter, shuts down Zaporizhstal plant
The strike comes as Russia expands its use of North Korean KN-23 and KN-24 ballistic missiles, which are harder for Ukraine to intercept and have been linked to deadly attacks on civilians.
On 11 August, a Russian ballistic missile strike on the Zaporizhzhia industrial site in Ukraine resulted in the deaths of seven steelworkers and injuries to 21 others, according to the plant's majority owner Metinvest. The workers were en route to a shelter following an air raid alert when the missile struck the industrial facility, causing significant damage to energy infrastructure and the plant's coke and blast-furnace operations.
Russia's ballistic missile attacks often leave little time for civilians to react and reach shelter, leading to numerous casualties across the country. Zaporizhstal, the plant's name, has been completely shut down since the attack, with other production sites operating at reduced capacity. Specialist teams are currently evaluating the extent of the damage and planning repair efforts.
The company is providing medical assistance to the injured workers and maintaining contact with the families of those who lost their lives or were injured. Flags at Metinvest's Zaporizhzhia facilities will be flown at half-mast on 11 and 12 August as a mark of respect for the seven deceased workers. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attributed the attack to North Korean ballistic missiles, Russian Zircon missiles, and guided aerial bombs, stating the assault aimed to inflict substantial damage on civilian infrastructure.
Ukrainian military intelligence reported that North Korea had deployed a missile unit to western Russia, potentially bringing up to 120 ballistic missiles and six launchers into Russia's arsenal. North Korea has reportedly supplied Russia with approximately 150 KN-23 and KN-24 missiles since late 2023, contributing to numerous incidents involving civilian casualties, including a July strike on Radushne, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, which killed an entire family.
The growing reliance on ballistic missiles by Russia highlights the heightened threat they pose, as their high-speed travel makes them more challenging for Ukraine's air defenses to intercept.
Written by urgent.news from Euromaidan Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
