KYIV — The Ukrainian government announced new sanctions on Friday targeting three Chinese companies accused of contributing to the development and production of Russian missile systems. The move follows recent allegations by President Volodymyr Zelensky that Chinese entities have been supplying military-related materials to Russia.
The sanctions, published in an updated list by the Ukrainian presidency, name Beijing Aviation and Aerospace Xianghui Technology Co. Ltd, Rui Jin Machinery Co. Ltd, and Zhongfu Shenying Carbon Fiber Xining Co. Ltd. All three firms are registered in China and, according to Ukrainian officials, are involved in the production of Iskander short-range ballistic missiles used extensively by Russian forces during the conflict.
President Zelensky stated that the newly sanctioned companies were directly linked to the manufacture of the missile systems responsible for recent strikes on Ukrainian cities. One such attack reportedly struck Kharkiv on Friday, resulting in at least one fatality and injuring more than 100 people.
“Today, we have expanded our Ukrainian sanctions against nearly a hundred additional individuals and legal entities, many of whom are involved in the production of weapons such as the Iskander missiles that struck Kharkiv,” Zelensky said in a statement. “While the majority are Russian, regrettably, some are based in China.”
The sanctions prohibit the named entities from conducting business within Ukraine and freeze any assets they may hold in the country.
China’s foreign ministry dismissed the Ukrainian allegations earlier on Friday, calling them unsubstantiated. Beijing has maintained strong economic ties with Moscow throughout the war while asserting a stance of neutrality and denying any involvement in supplying arms or military equipment.
During a press briefing on Thursday, Zelensky claimed that Chinese companies were supplying artillery components and gunpowder to Russia and suggested that some weapons were being manufactured by Chinese firms on Russian territory. However, he did not provide evidence to substantiate these claims.
Last week, the Ukrainian president also alleged that Chinese nationals were actively participating in combat operations on behalf of Russia, noting that two such individuals had been taken prisoner. In response, Ukraine summoned a Chinese diplomat to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to seek clarification.
Despite the recent tensions, China remains one of Ukraine’s major trading partners. According to Ukrainian government data, exports to China in 2021 totalled approximately $8 billion—mostly raw materials and agricultural products—while imports from China, primarily consisting of manufactured goods, reached nearly $11 billion.
