Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on August 28 that military intelligence has uncovered Russian plans to scale up ballistic missile production despite severe economic losses caused by Ukrainian strikes.
Reporting on a briefing from Chief of the Main Directorate of Intelligence Oleh Ivashchenko, Zelenskyy said internal Russian documents reveal that certain export components from the Russian Federation fell by 80 percent in August.
Zelenskyy stated that these drops represent tangible financial losses for Russia's federal budget and regional budgets that were already bordering on bankruptcy. He added that Russian officials admit their Black Sea Fleet warships are effectively trapped in the port of Novorossiysk following targeted Ukrainian drone attacks and cannot operate at sea.
Because naval forces cannot provide escorts, Russian military commanders are considering placing armed personnel, small arms, and electronic warfare systems on commercial merchant ships and shadow fleet vessels. Zelenskyy described this strategy as the militarization of commercial shipping and confirmed that Ukraine is preparing specific counter-measures.
Strikes Target Engine Production and Refineries
The Ukrainian leader highlighted the results of long-range strikes inside Russian territory, citing Russian sources indicating severe damage to the Kamensky Combine facility in the Rostov region. He noted that the operation destroyed a significant portion of Russia's manufacturing capacity for solid-fuel missile engines.
Defence intelligence reports also confirmed the shutdown of one of Russia's largest oil refineries, the Lukoil-Nizhegorodnefteorgsintez plant located in Kstovo in the Nizhny Novgorod region. The facility processes 17 million tons of crude oil annually. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine recently confirmed hitting the site, though Russian authorities have not officially acknowledged the impact.
Calls for Strict Sanctions on Foreign Components
Addressing the updated intelligence on Russian ballistic missile manufacturing, Zelenskyy urged international partners to implement total sanctions across major global jurisdictions. He called for a complete block on all foreign shipments of machinery, industrial equipment, and components, stressing that Moscow cannot execute any part of its missile program without foreign parts.
A representative from Ukraine's defense intelligence agency previously reported on August 17 that Russia continues to rely heavily on foreign components, including in its new jet-powered strike drone, the Geran-4. Although the United States and Western allies imposed extensive sanctions following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine to restrict access to technology, Russian procurement networks continue finding ways to circumvent trade controls.
