Ukraine sanctions Russian arms suppliers as Moscow ramps up attacks

President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced new sanctions targeting Russian individuals and companies involved in the production of dangerous weapons, including ballistic missiles, aircraft, armored vehicles, and drones. The sanctions list, released on October 24, includes 51 Russian citizens and 44 businesses responsible for manufacturing and supplying raw materials, equipment, and tools for long-range weapons like Iskander, Kalibr, Kh-101, and Kinzhal missiles.

Another sanctions list targets 32 Russian citizens and 35 companies engaged in the production and supply chains of military equipment and components. Ukraine's sanctions chief, Vladyslav Vlasiuk, stated that their goal is to systematically identify and impose sanctions on enterprises involved in producing Russian ballistic missiles and other weapons, aiming to weaken the Russian military-industrial complex's ability to produce weapons.

The sanctions specifically target the RUSAL Group, a key company involved in producing military aircraft, armored vehicles, missile weapons, and drones. The group imported 150 million rubles worth of aluminum oxide between April 2024 and March 2025, which was used to supply Russia's military-industrial complex.

As Russia intensifies its production of missiles and drones, Ukrainian intelligence reported that Russia now produces around 10,000 drones monthly and is stockpiling 700 ballistic missiles. The escalation in arms production has led to unprecedented attacks on Ukrainian cities, particularly Kyiv, resulting in the highest number of civilian casualties since the beginning of the full-scale invasion.

According to the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, Russia killed at least 328 civilians and injured 2,105 in September, an 85% increase compared to the previous year.