Ukraine Bans China's Firms for Helping Russia Make Missiles

Ukraine imposed sanctions on three Chinese companies on Friday, alleging their involvement in the production of advanced Iskander missiles, just a day after President Volodymyr Zelenskiy accused China of supplying weapons to Russia. 

In response to Zelenskiy's claims, China's foreign ministry dismissed the accusations as unfounded. Despite maintaining close economic ties with Russia throughout the ongoing conflict, China has sought to portray itself as neutral and denies any direct involvement in the war.

The updated list of sanctioned entities, published by Zelenskiy's administration, also includes several Russian companies. The sanctioned Chinese firms are Beijing Aviation And Aerospace Xianghui Technology Co. Ltd, Rui Jin Machinery Co. Ltd, and Zhongfu Shenying Carbon Fiber Xining Co. Ltd, all of which are registered in China.

see also: (In The US) Supreme Court Dissent Sparks Debate: Justices Thomas and Alito Question Deportation Block

Zelenskiy stated that these companies were involved in the production of Russian Iskander missiles, which have seen extensive use in the conflict due to their nuclear-capable short-range ballistic missile capabilities. On the same day of the sanctions announcement, Ukrainian officials reported that Iskander missiles had struck Kharkiv, resulting in one fatality and injuring over 100 others.

"Today, we have expanded our Ukrainian sanctions against nearly a hundred more entities—natural and legal persons—most of whom are involved in the production of such missiles—Iskanders—like those that struck our Kharkiv," Zelenskiy said in a statement on X (formerly Twitter). “Many of these entities are Russian, but unfortunately, some are also from China,” he added.

As part of the sanctions, these companies are banned from conducting business in Ukraine, and their assets within the country are frozen.

In 2021, Ukraine exported approximately $8 billion worth of goods to China, primarily raw materials and agricultural products, while its imports from China approached $11 billion, mainly consisting of manufactured goods, according to government data.

On Thursday, Zelenskiy informed the media that his government had evidence indicating that Chinese firms were supplying artillery and gunpowder to Russia and that certain Chinese entities were producing weapons on Russian territory. However, he did not provide any concrete evidence for this claim.

A week prior, Zelenskiy had referenced Chinese nationals fighting alongside Russian forces in the conflict, noting that two had been taken prisoner. This prompted the Ukrainian foreign ministry to summon a Chinese diplomat for clarification, with subsequent reports from Ukrainian and U.S. officials suggesting the individuals had volunteered to fight for money.