Zelensky imposes sanctions on 130 Russian military commanders, religious figures

The Office of the President of Ukraine reported this on its website, Ukrinform reports.

"President Volodymyr Zelensky signed decrees putting into effect the decisions of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine on sanctions against Russian commanders involved in missile strikes against Ukraine, as well as Russian religious figures who justify Russia's aggression and spread Russian propaganda," the statement reads.

The Office of the President clarifies that the first sanctions list includes 121 occupiers involved in launching massive missile strikes on Ukrainian territory. In particular, these are commanders of long-range aviation units of the Aerospace Forces.

"Since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion, Russia has used more than 4,100 air-launched cruise missiles and aeroballistic missiles. These units carried out strikes on the Okhmatdyt children's hospital on July 8, 2024, on a residential high-rise in Ternopil on November 19, 2025, on the Amstor shopping center in Kremenchuk on June 27, 2022, and on energy and transport infrastructure facilities in various regions of Ukraine," the Office of the President noted.

The list also includes commanders of the navy who shelled Ukraine from surface ships and submarines carrying Kalibr cruise missiles.

"In total, Russia has used more than 1,500 missiles of this type during 160 attacks on Ukrainian cities and communities. Commanders on this list were involved in strikes on Kyiv's thermal power plants, as well as energy infrastructure in Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Volyn, Mykolaiv, and Odesa regions. Among them, in particular, is one of the commanders of the 30th Surface Ship Division, who ensured the combat readiness of the frigates Admiral Makarov and Admiral Essen," the Office of the President said.

Sanctions were also imposed on commanders of missile and artillery units of the ground forces who carried out strikes using ground-launched cruise missiles and Iskander-M ballistic missiles.

"In total, Russians have attacked Ukraine more than 1,100 times using missiles of this type. The commanders of these units organized and coordinated strikes on central Sumy on April 13, 2025, where a Russian missile killed 25 people; on central Chernihiv on April 17, 2024, where 18 people were killed; and on the village of Hroza in the Kharkiv region, where 59 people were killed," the statement added.

Presidential sanctions policy adviser Vladyslav Vlasiuk emphasized that this is one of the first cases where Ukrainian special services have managed to clearly identify more than 100 specific individuals who directly give orders and carry out missile launches against Ukraine.

"They are ordinary terrorists who should be sanctioned in all jurisdictions," he stressed.

The sanctions package concerning religious figures includes nine individuals who have publicly called for the killing of Ukrainians, openly support Russian aggression against Ukraine, and use religion to promote propaganda and justify Russia's invasion of the country. These are representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church and related structures.

The Office of the President stressed that all necessary information regarding these two sanctions packages will be shared with partners to synchronize sanctions in their jurisdictions.

The relevant presidential decrees are published on the Office of the President's website: No. 303/2026 "On the decision of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine dated April 9, 2026 'On the application of personal special economic and other restrictive measures (sanctions)'," listing Russian commanders, and No. 304/2026 concerning sanctions against religious figures who justified Russia's aggression.

As Ukrinform previously reported, President Volodymyr Zelensky also enacted an NSDC decision on sanctions against Russian entities that support Russia's military-industrial complex, help circumvent sanctions, and conduct illegal business activities in temporarily occupied territories.

Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine