Russia likely used a North Korean missile in a strike on a village near Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine, that killed a family of five, Ukrainian officials said. The deadly attack marked the first confirmed Russian use of North Korean missiles in nearly a year, since August 8, 2025 [1, 2, 3].
The family killed included two parents and three children. The fate of an additional four children and a 1½-year-old grandson from the household remains unclear, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. He said, "Russia used a North Korean missile for a strike on a village that killed five members of the same family" [2].
Russia has previously launched North Korean ballistic missiles, including KN-23 and KN-24 short-range types, at targets in Ukraine since late 2023 [1]. The renewed use of these missiles suggests Moscow may have accessed a new stockpile amid intensifying missile attacks on Ukraine [1, 2, 3].
Alongside North Korean missiles, Russia has increasingly used ballistic missiles like the Iskander 9M723. These weapons are harder for Ukraine to defend against and can only be intercepted by advanced U.S.-supplied Patriot air defense systems [2, 3]. Ukraine currently faces an acute shortage of such high-end air defense systems during the ongoing barrage [1, 2, 3].
In addition to the missile strike near Kryvyi Rih, Russia launched dozens of missiles and hundreds of drones overnight in attacks that killed 8 to 9 people across Ukraine [1, 2, 3].
The last confirmed Russian strike using a North Korean missile before July 30, 2026, occurred on August 8, 2025 [1].
Ukrainian officials continue monitoring the situation as the conflict endures and missile attacks escalate.
