Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha Demands 20th EU Sanction Package After Deadly Russian Aerial Strikes on Poltava and Zaporizhzhia

Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha calls for the 20th EU sanctions package and the grounding of Russia's shadow fleet following deadly strikes on March 24.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 24, 2026, 12:01 PM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Interfax-Ukraine

A Massive Combined Assault on Civilian Populations

The Ukrainian landscape was subjected to a coordinated and devastating aerial offensive overnight, characterized by the Foreign Ministry as a deliberate act of terror against non-combatants. Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha reported that the strikes, which utilized a combination of land-based and air-launched missiles alongside hundreds of attack drones, spanned the entire country. The impact was particularly lethal in the Poltava and Zaporizhzhia regions, where authorities have already confirmed the deaths of at least three individuals. This escalation suggests a shift in Russian tactics toward high-volume saturation attacks intended to overwhelm local defense systems and demoralize the civilian population.

The Call for Total Economic and Diplomatic Isolation

In the wake of the latest casualties, Minister Sybiha has intensified his diplomatic pressure on European partners, specifically calling for the swift adoption of the 20th EU sanctions package. The Minister emphasized that when military objectives on the battlefield remain unachieved, the Kremlin frequently resorts to targeting infrastructure to force political concessions. To counter this, Ukraine is advocating for a policy of "full isolation," which includes expanded travel bans for those complicit in the war effort and a total prohibition of Russian participation in international artistic and sporting events.

Targeting the Shadow Fleet and Maritime Evasion

A central component of the proposed 20th sanctions package involves aggressive measures against Russia's "shadow fleet." Sybiha argued that these vessels, which often operate outside of standard international regulations to transport sanctioned energy products, must be "anchored" to cut off a primary source of war funding. By targeting the maritime logistics that allow the Russian economy to bypass existing price caps and trade restrictions, the Ukrainian government believes the international community can significantly degrade Moscow's ability to sustain long-term high-intensity military operations.