Zelenskyy: Russia used North Korean KN-23 missiles to strike Ukraine’s energy facilities

[Financial News] Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed that Russia had used North Korean-made ballistic missiles to attack his country’s energy facilities. While repeatedly appealing for more air defenses, Zelenskyy also expressed strong wariness about calls recently raised in some quarters of the United States for broad peace negotiations with Russia, calling them “Yalta 2.0.”
On the 7th (local time), President Zelenskyy said on social media platform X that “preliminary investigation results showed that a KN-23 (Hwasong-11Ga) missile manufactured and supplied by North Korea had been used at one of the major energy facilities that was damaged.” He stressed, “This is further evidence that the international sanctions regime against everyone around the world providing ‘services’ to help destroy human lives must be significantly strengthened.”
That day, President Zelenskyy presided over a coordination meeting with relevant agencies, referred to damage from the overnight airstrikes, and again called for Western support. He lamented, “Russia fired 36 missiles, but only 4 were intercepted,” adding, “Unfortunately, we are still facing a severe shortage of Patriot interceptor missiles.” He also cited assessments that Russia is stepping up pressure on Ukrainian infrastructure to gain an advantage ahead of upcoming trilateral negotiations with the United States.
In addition, President Zelenskyy voiced deep concern over the idea of a “new security framework encompassing Europe and Russia,” which has recently been discussed within and beyond the administration of US President Donald Trump. Trump had earlier suggested the possibility of a broad agreement covering all of Europe, beyond Ukraine, after meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy.
In response, President Zelenskyy cited remarks from his interview with US broadcaster CNN, saying, “The idea of discussing a security architecture between Europe and Russia is by no means simple and could instead be dangerous.”
Referring in particular to the Yalta Conference, where the great powers reshaped the postwar order in the immediate aftermath of World War II, bringing about division, he bluntly said, “We do not want a situation like ‘Yalta 2.0,’ nor do we want a partition by Russia.” He went on to draw a line, saying, “Only after ways to end Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine have been discussed can we discuss a security architecture between Europe and Russia.”


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