Ukraine sanctions Chinese firms, accuses them of helping Russia produce missiles

2025-04-19 08:33:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Ukraine imposed sanctions on three Chinese companies on Friday, alleging they are involved in the production of advanced Iskander missiles, a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused China of supplying weapons to Russia.

China's Foreign Ministry dismissed Zelensky's accusations as groundless.

While it has maintained close economic ties with Russia during Moscow's three-year war in Ukraine, China has tried to portray itself as neutral and denies any involvement in the conflict.

Zelensky's office published an updated list of sanctioned entities on Friday. The list, which also includes Russian companies, mentions Beijing Aviation And Aerospace Xianghui Technology Co. Ltd, Rui Jin Machinery Co. Ltd, and Zhongfu Shenying Carbon Fiber Xining Co. Ltd, all described as registered in China.

Zelensky said that Chinese companies that have been hit with sanctions are involved in the production of Russian Iskander missiles. Russia uses these short-range ballistic missiles extensively in the conflict.

On Friday, Ukraine said Iskander missiles hit the city of Kharkiv in the country's north, killing one person and wounding over 100 others.

"Today we have expanded Ukrainian sanctions to nearly a hundred more entities – individuals and legal entities – most of whom are involved in the production of missiles like the Iskander that hit our Kharkiv," Zelensky said on X.

"Many of these entities are Russian, but unfortunately, some are also from China," he added.

The sanctions prohibit companies from doing business in Ukraine and freeze their assets there.

In 2021, Ukraine exported goods worth $8 billion to China, mainly raw materials and agricultural products, while importing goods worth just under $11 billion from China, mainly processed products, according to the Ukrainian Government.

On Thursday, Zelensky told reporters in Kiev that his government had evidence that Chinese firms were supplying artillery and gunpowder to Russia, and that Chinese entities were producing some weapons on Russian territory.

He did not provide any evidence for this claim./ REL