The ballistic missile that struck a residential building in Kyiv on April 24 and killed at least 12 people was made in North Korea, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Facebook, citing preliminary data.
Twelve people were killed and 90 civilians, including six children, were injured in a large-scale Russian missile and drone attack on Kyiv overnight on April 24, Ukraine's State Emergency Service said.
"If the information that this missile was made in North Korea is confirmed, it will be further proof of the criminal nature of the alliance between Russia and Pyongyang," Zelensky said.
Zelensky accused both countries of using their cooperation to advance deadly technologies and wage war on civilians.
“They kill people and destroy lives together, this is the only purpose of their partnership,” he said.
According to Zelensky, more than 200 missiles and drones were launched by Russia in the latest large-scale assault across multiple Ukrainian cities on April 24.
A Ukrainian military source told Reuters on April 24 that the missile which struck the residential building in Kyiv was identified as a North Korean-made KN-23 ballistic missile.
The KN-23, capable of carrying a one-tonne warhead, is reportedly more powerful than its Russian equivalent. In November 2024, CNN reported that these missiles have Western-made components.
The attack comes as Russia and North Korea expand their military ties. Kyiv estimates that more than 11,000 North Korean troops have been deployed to support Russia’s war effort, primarily in Russia’s Kursk Oblast.
The South Korean Institute for Defense Analyses (KIDA) reported earlier in April that North Korea had earned over $20 billion from its military support to Moscow, including weapons and manpower. Between August 2023 and March 2025, North Korea reportedly shipped more than 15,800 containers of munitions to Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has described North Korea as a “partner” and confirmed that a 2024 defense treaty between the two nations is in force. He has also suggested the idea of including Pyongyang in future negotiations to end the war in Ukraine.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
(Updated: )
