Russia-Ukraine War: Zelensky Launches New Sanctions Against Moscow: Airstrikes, Victims, and the Patriot Issue

The war between Russia and Ukraine continues to escalate simultaneously on the military, long-range strike, and economic fronts. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has signed a new decree implementing a decision by the National Security and Defense Council in Kyiv, introducing sanctions against companies and individuals accused of supporting the Russian military-industrial complex.

The new measures come as reciprocal attacks between the two countries continue: drones have struck several facilities on Russian soil, causing casualties in the Moscow region, while new Russian bombings have also caused deaths in the Ukrainian cities of Sumy and Mykolaiv . At the same time, the United States has issued more cautious indications regarding the timing of a possible agreement with Kyiv on the joint production of interceptors for the Patriot air defense systems.

23 companies and 20 people in Kyiv's sights

According to an official statement from the Ukrainian Presidency , the sanctions target 23 companies and 20 individuals linked to the companies concerned , accused of producing or supplying equipment and components to the Russian defense industry and security agencies, including through mechanisms aimed at circumventing existing restrictions.

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Kyiv is targeting companies involved in the production of components used in missile systems, air defense, electronic warfare, and other activities considered strategic to the Russian Federation's military capabilities. This choice confirms Ukraine's willingness to intervene not only in large companies directly involved in arms production, but across the entire industrial and technological chain that supports Moscow's war production.

From Kidma Tech to the Morozov plant, the sanctioned companies

Among the companies mentioned by the Ukrainian Presidency is Kidma Tech , a company active in the production of optical instruments, air defense systems and multiple rocket launchers and in the maintenance of anti-tank and air-launched guided missiles.

The list also includes the Morozov plant , which belongs to the Rostec group and is already under restrictive measures. According to Kyiv, the plant produces explosives, rocket fuel, and materials for missile systems, including solid propellant charges used in the engines of the Iskander-M ballistic missiles.

The new measures also concern Spetselektronkomplekt , identified as being involved in the production of air-launched guided missiles, and Aurum , accused by Ukrainian authorities of supplying electronic warfare systems and drones to Russian forces. The measure also includes Russian IT companies that develop software, digital solutions, and information security systems for both the public and private sectors.

Kyiv aims to reduce production of Russian missiles and drones

Ukraine's stated goal is to make it increasingly difficult for companies involved in Russian military production to access components, technologies, financing, and international markets . The sanctions strategy is therefore directly linked to Moscow's ability to continue producing ballistic missiles, drones, and other weapons systems.

Vladyslav Vlasiuk, the Ukrainian president's advisor and commissioner for sanctions policy, reiterated that Kyiv intends to systematically continue its action against arms manufacturers and companies supporting the Russian military sector. According to the Ukrainian government's position, however, the effectiveness of the measures will also depend on the number of countries that decide to join the same restrictions or adopt similar measures.

Drone strikes in Moscow region kill five, injure ten

In parallel with the economic pressure, Ukrainian attacks deep into Russian territory continue . On the night of August 3-4, drones attributed to Kyiv struck several warehouses and logistics facilities in Russia.

The most serious toll came from the city of Chekhov, in the Moscow region , where a drone started a fire inside a warehouse. Regional governor Andrei Vorobyov reported five people dead and ten others injured , updating initial reports that indicated a lower number of injuries.

The attack is part of a series of operations that are increasingly targeting infrastructure located hundreds of kilometers from the Ukrainian border. According to Reuters, a total of three warehouses in different Russian regions were hit on the same night.

Wildberries facilities between St. Petersburg and Tver were also affected.

Among the targets of the attacks were facilities belonging to Wildberries , one of Russia's largest e-commerce groups. A warehouse located near St. Petersburg , in the Leningrad region, was hit by a fire, but according to the company, there were no casualties.

Another Wildberries facility was damaged in the Tver region , northwest of Moscow. According to local authorities, no injuries were reported. The company has become a frequent target of drone strikes in recent weeks: its CEO, Tatyana Kim, has strongly condemned Ukrainian operations against the group's facilities.

The attacks highlight the expansion of Ukraine's campaign against logistical and industrial targets located within the Russian Federation, a strategy through which Kyiv is attempting to increase the economic and organizational costs of the conflict for Moscow.

Sevastopol: Russian soldier kills fellow soldier and three civilians

Meanwhile, an incident unrelated to the war on the ground has caused further casualties in Crimea . A Russian soldier opened fire on some comrades, killing one and wounding another, before turning the gun on several civilians.

According to Mikhail Razvozhayev , the governor of Sevastopol appointed by Moscow, the soldier subsequently killed three civilians and wounded three others . The overall toll from the incident is therefore four dead and four wounded. The perpetrator of the shooting has been arrested, and authorities are trying to determine the motive and exact circumstances of the incident.

The incident occurred in the Sevastopol area of ​​Crimea, which was occupied and annexed by Russia in 2014 , a territory internationally recognized as part of Ukraine. Authorities have not yet provided definitive information on the soldier's motives for opening fire.

Russian attacks on Sumy kill two girls

Russian attacks conducted at the same time against several Ukrainian cities also took a heavy toll. In Sumy , in northeastern Ukraine, Russian forces used guided aerial bombs against urban areas, according to regional authorities.

The bodies of two girls, aged 5 and 10, were recovered from the rubble of a house . An elderly woman also died in the attack. Four other people required medical attention for acute stress reactions.

According to Ukrainian authorities, six guided aerial bombs hit civilian infrastructure in the city, damaging or destroying residential buildings and other structures, while two other bombs were intercepted by air defenses before reaching residential areas.

An 89-year-old woman dies and seven people are injured in Mykolaiv.

Another Russian attack has hit Mykolaiv , a major city in southern Ukraine. According to local authorities, the bombing hit a residential area, causing the death of an 89-year-old woman.

At least seven people were injured , while several buildings, including private homes and apartment buildings, reportedly sustained significant damage. Emergency services continued their work to check for any other victims and secure the damaged structures.

The attacks on Sumy and Mykolaiv once again confirm the central role played by aerial bombardments and unmanned systems in a war in which the ground front is now accompanied on a daily basis by long-distance operations against cities, industrial, logistical and energy infrastructures.

Moscow claims new attacks on Chornomorsk

On the southern front, the Russian Defense Ministry reported new attacks on infrastructure in the Odessa region. According to Moscow, targets were hit in the area of ​​the port of Chornomorsk , a major Ukrainian hub on the Black Sea, on the evening of August 3.

Russian authorities claim to have targeted port and logistics facilities used, according to Moscow, in the interests of the Ukrainian armed forces, including areas designated for the storage of fuel, ammunition, and vehicle maintenance. Russian claims regarding the precise military nature of the targets should, however, be considered statements by one of the parties to the conflict and not independently verified evidence.

The Chornomorsk area and, more generally, the ports of the Odessa region have become one of the most sensitive points of confrontation in recent months, both due to their logistical and military importance and the strategic role they play in Ukrainian exports across the Black Sea.

The United States is slowing down the production of Patriot missiles in Ukraine.

As Kyiv seeks to weaken Russia's missile production capacity, the question of the availability of Western systems capable of intercepting them remains open. US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker has explained that Washington and Kyiv are unlikely to reach a long-term agreement for the joint production of Patriot interceptors before winter.

The issue is particularly important because the PAC-3 missiles used by Patriot systems remain subject to strict US export controls. At the same time, Washington is exploring broader industrial cooperation with Ukraine and its European allies to increase Western production capacity.

In recent weeks, conflicting indications had been received from the United States. During the NATO summit on July 8, US President Donald Trump announced his intention to allow Ukraine to produce Patriot missiles under license, but on July 31, he clarified that a final decision had not yet been made, emphasizing the sensitivity of the transfer of advanced military technology.

Air defense remains a priority as winter approaches

Pending a possible industrial agreement, Washington considers it a priority to strengthen Ukrainian air defense before winter , both through new shipments of interceptors from allies with available stocks and through increased production at US factories.

For Kyiv, the Patriots remain particularly important in defending against ballistic missiles used by Russia in attacks on Ukrainian cities. The availability of interceptors has thus become a key strategic issue in relations between Ukraine, the United States, and Europe, especially given the intensification of Russian attacks and the need to protect energy infrastructure and urban centers during the coldest months.