Zelensky Calls For Urgent Sanctions to Choke Off Russia’s Oreshnik Missile Production

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called on Western partners to urgently impose targeted sanctions on companies supplying components for Russia’s new Oreshnik missile, warning that Moscow continues to use the weapon against Ukraine and is seeking to expand production despite clear technical and industrial limits.

Speaking in remarks reported by Ukrainian and international media, Zelensky said the Oreshnik missile cannot currently be intercepted by drones and has already been used across Ukrainian territory. He stressed that Kyiv understands how to counter the system militarily, but argued that the most effective response is to halt production at its source by cutting off access to critical foreign-made components.

“Without these components, Russia simply cannot produce Oreshnik,” Zelensky said, adding that Ukraine has already shared detailed intelligence with partner governments on supply chains routed through third countries. He said he has not yet seen the sanctions Kyiv requested, warning that delays allow Russia to continue limited production.

A missile with constrained but dangerous potential

Western and Ukrainian analysts describe Oreshnik as a new-generation Russian missile system designed to challenge existing air-defence concepts and increase pressure on critical Ukrainian infrastructure. While production volumes are believed to be small, Ukrainian officials say even limited numbers pose a serious threat due to the missile’s speed, trajectory and resistance to certain interception methods.

Zelensky acknowledged that Russia’s manufacturing capacity remains constrained, but warned that those limits could disappear if Moscow maintains access to advanced industrial technology. “Russia will continue production, even if its capacity is limited for now,” he said.

The supply-chain vulnerability

According to Ukrainian intelligence assessments and international investigations, Russia’s Oreshnik programme depends heavily on foreign-made high-precision industrial equipment. These include computer numerical control (CNC) systems, specialised machine tools, guidance and control electronics, and precision sensors that Russia struggles to produce domestically at scale.

Ukrainian officials say many of these items are sourced via intermediary firms and re-export routes in third countries, allowing Russian defence manufacturers to circumvent existing sanctions. Kyiv argues that closing these loopholes would have an immediate impact on missile production timelines and costs.

Companies Ukraine wants sanctioned

Ukraine has provided partners with lists of companies it believes are central to the Oreshnik missile programme. These include Russian defence and industrial entities involved in design and manufacturing, such as the Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology, Titan-Barrikady, the Sozvezdie concern, and associated machine-building firms.

Ukrainian briefings also point to the role of foreign industrial technology suppliers whose equipment has been identified inside Russian production facilities. These include manufacturers of CNC control systems and advanced machining tools based in Germany and Japan, as well as trading and logistics companies allegedly facilitating re-exports through third countries. Kyiv stresses that sanctions must target not only Russian end-users, but also intermediaries enabling sanctions evasion.

Western manufacturers named in media reports have said they comply with export-control laws, while Ukraine argues that enforcement gaps continue to allow sensitive equipment to reach Russian missile factories.

What Zelensky says Ukraine knows

Zelensky said Ukraine has shared with allies detailed intelligence on how Oreshnik is produced, which components are essential, and which routes are used to obtain them. He also said Kyiv understands the missile’s operational characteristics and has developed countermeasures, though specifics remain undisclosed for security reasons.

Ukrainian officials suggest these countermeasures focus less on mid-flight interception and more on electronic warfare, targeting launch infrastructure, and disrupting production.

Pressure on Western partners

Zelensky’s appeal increases pressure on the European Union, the United States, and other allies to move beyond broad sanctions and adopt precision, enforcement-driven measures targeting industrial supply chains. Such steps would require coordinated export controls, customs monitoring, and financial restrictions across multiple jurisdictions.

Analysts say the issue highlights how civilian high-tech manufacturing tools have become decisive elements of modern warfare.

A strategic warning

For Kyiv, the message is clear: stopping Oreshnik production now is cheaper and safer than confronting larger missile stockpiles later. Zelensky’s warning underscores Ukraine’s belief that targeted sanctions, if properly enforced, can still reshape the battlefield.

Whether Western partners act quickly enough, he said, will determine how far Russia can expand the Oreshnik programme — and how dangerous the missile becomes in the months ahead.