Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed four separate decrees implementing decisions by the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) that impose sweeping sanctions against Russian defense enterprises, aluminum producers, and individuals linked to Russia’s military-industrial complex . The sanctions, effective for 10 years, target a total of 87 individuals and 46 entities .
“In total, I signed four relevant decrees today—several packages against the Russian military complex, against those individuals who have, in one way or another, become part of the Russian way of life and maintain ties with this state, despite such a war,” Zelenskyy stated in his video address .
Decree 1: Striking the Defense Supply Chain
The first decree imposes sanctions on 28 Russian citizens, 36 Russian companies, and one Chinese entity . The designated entities are integrated into supply chains for high-precision industrial equipment, tools, components, electronics, and raw materials-all routed through sanctions evasion schemes . The list also includes companies that manufacture and repair military and special equipment, conduct drone research, and develop software for Russian security forces .
Decree 2: Targeting the Aluminum Sector
The second package targets five enterprises within the Rusal group – Russia’s largest aluminum producer and nine associated Russian nationals . The sanctioned plants include the Bratsk, Krasnoyarsk, and Sayanogorsk aluminum smelters .
Ukraine’s sanctions policy advisor Vladyslav Vlasiuk explained the rationale: “These companies are alumina importers that supply aluminum producers serving the Russian military-industrial complex. They obtain raw materials through sanctions evasion and provide products used to manufacture military equipment, artillery, missiles, and combat aircraft” .
Decree 3: Targeting Russia’s ‘Occupational Vertical’
The third set of sanctions covers 45 individuals and eight legal entities, including Russian officials who justify the aggression against Ukraine . Among those sanctioned is Sergey Baburin (Сергей Бабурин), former Deputy Chairman of the Russian State Duma .
The Ukrainian authorities characterize Baburin as a figure who publicly promotes the “legality” of the occupation of Ukrainian territories, denies Ukrainian identity, and discredits Ukraine . This designation forms part of a broader effort to dismantle what Ukrainian officials call Russia’s “occupational vertical” .
Decree 4: Sanctioning ‘Masha and the Bear’
In a move that drew international attention, the fourth decree imposes sanctions on the creators of the globally popular Russian animated series “Masha and the Bear” (Маша и Медведь) . The restrictions target five Russian nationals and four organizations associated with the production and distribution of the series .
The individuals sanctioned include:
-
Oleg Kuzovkov (Олег Кузовков) – scriptwriter and director
-
Dmitry Loveyko (Дмитрий Ловейко) – co-founder of Animaccord
-
Natalia Grishaeva (Наталья Гришаева) – general director
-
Marina Kuzmina (Марина Кузьмина) – commercial director
-
Igor Derkach (Игорь Деркач) – general director of Studio MiM
The sanctioned legal entities are:
-
Animaccord Ltd (Анимаккорд Лтд) – the studio behind the series
-
LLC Masha and the Bear (ООО Маша и Медведь)
-
LLC Studio Animaccord (ООО Студия «Анимаккорд»)
-
LLC Studio MiM (ООО «Студия МиМ»)
The NSDC justified the move by stating that the cartoon “disseminates pro-Russian narratives disguised as children’s content, which poses a threat to Ukraine’s national security” . The sanctions allow Ukraine to ban the broadcast and distribution of the series within its territory and extend to the project’s social media channels .
The Series at the Center of the Controversy
“” inspired by a Russian folk tale, is one of the most viewed animated series globally. Its episode “Masha plus Porridge” has garnered over 4.6 billion views on YouTube and holds a Guinness World Record . The series is distributed in more than 100 countries, with Netflix acquiring rights to new seasons .
Concerns about the series have been raised previously. In 2017, Ukraine’s State Film Agency reviewed a request to ban it, citing an episode where the main character appears in an NKVD hat . In October 2025, Ukraine’s National Police confirmed the series had Russian ties and called for sanctions . More recently, a group of 50 British parliamentarians also urged a ban, citing perceived “Russian propaganda” .
Additional Notable Designation: Yuriy Ivanushchenko
Among the individuals sanctioned across the packages is Yuriy Ivanushchenko (Юрій Іванющенко), a former Ukrainian lawmaker from the banned Party of Regions and a business partner of former President Viktor Yanukovych .
Ivanushchenko, wanted by Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) over a land legalization scheme worth over 160 million hryvnias, has reportedly held Russian citizenship since 2004, in addition to Ukrainian and Bulgarian passports . According to the Ukrainian authorities, his businesses operate in occupied Crimea, and he has maintained ties with Russian business and criminal circles since the full-scale invasion began . The sanctions against him include asset blocking, revocation of state awards, and a ban on transactions with his securities.
