President Zelensky Enacts New Sanctions Targeting Russian Judges and Collaborators Involved in Illegal POW Sentencing

President Zelensky signs decrees sanctioning 41 Russian judges and extending restrictions on 11 defense companies involved in drone production and helicopter repair.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 10, 2026, 9:44 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Ukrinform

Targeting the Instruments of Judicial Repression

The latest Ukrainian sanctions package specifically targets the legal framework used by the Russian Federation to justify the detention and punishment of Ukrainian servicemen and activists. The list includes 41 judges—38 Russian citizens and three collaborators—who have been identified for issuing politically motivated and illegal sentences. According to the Presidential Advisor on Sanctions Policy, Vladyslav Vlasiuk, these individuals have effectively turned the court system into an "instrument of repression." One notable inclusion is a Russian judge who reportedly delivered terrorism-related verdicts against nine Ukrainian POWs in a single week.

Retribution for the Sentencing of Foreign Volunteers

A significant portion of the decree focuses on former Ukrainian nationals in occupied Donetsk who presided over the "death sentences" of foreign volunteers. These include two British citizens and one Moroccan national who were captured while serving as legitimate members of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. By blacklisting these collaborators, Kyiv is signaling that those who bypass the Geneva Convention's protections for combatants will face permanent international isolation. The sanctions also extend to judges who have targeted journalists and civic figures based on political or religious beliefs.

Extension of Corporate Sanctions and Strategic Attrition

Beyond individual actors, the President signed a decree extending sanctions against 11 Russian companies. These firms, initially restricted in 2021 and 2023, are involved in sectors critical to the Russian war effort: