Russian attack kills 5 in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia

In Ukraine's southeastern Zaporizhzhia region, a Russian attack resulted in five fatalities and 20 injuries, according to regional authorities on Tuesday. Meanwhile, explosions were heard in Kyiv, where officials reported a ballistic missile strike. Russian forces have been increasingly utilizing long-range missiles against Ukrainian cities in recent weeks, with Kyiv accusing Moscow of bolstering its four-year war effort with North Korean support.

Ivan Fedorov, head of the regional military administration, confirmed five deaths and 20 injuries in Zaporizhzhia via Telegram. AFP journalists in Kyiv heard loud explosions shortly after midnight (2100 GMT) following warnings of approaching missiles. Mayor Vitali Klitschko announced on social media that Kyiv was under a ballistic missile attack, with emergency services dispatched to Shevchenkivsky district. Air raid sirens had begun shortly before the blasts.

Fedorov stated that Russian forces targeted industrial facilities and infrastructure in Zaporizhzhia, damaging a garage cooperative, residential buildings, and other structures. President Volodymyr Zelensky had previously claimed that Russia was preparing to deploy additional North Korean troops and had received new ballistic missiles from Pyongyang.

Moscow has intensified ballistic missile strikes in recent weeks, with only specific air defense systems, such as US Patriots, capable of intercepting them. The shortage of PAC-3 interceptor missiles has worsened since the U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran in February.

At the same time, Ukraine has escalated its strikes on Russian cities distant from the border. The city of Kyiv experienced a barrage of explosions overnight, resulting in one death and five injuries, according to AFP journalists.