Full Breakdown
Zelensky Imposes Sanctions on 44 Individuals Linked to Russian Elections Amid Escalating Attacks
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Sanctions Decree and International Appeal
On September 26, 2026, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a decree enacting a decision of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council to sanction 44 individuals who participated in Russia’s State Duma elections held in territories occupied by Moscow.
In the same statement, Zelenskyy urged U.S. President Donald Trump to invoke the recently passed Lindsey Graham Act—a law granting sweeping authority to impose tariffs and sanctions on entities supporting Russia’s war effort. He also called on European leaders António Costa and Ursula von der Leyen to tighten sanctions and keep Russian oligarchs on existing blacklist lists.
Background & Context: Russian Elections in Occupied Ukrainian Territories
Russia conducted State Duma elections in eleven electoral districts created within the occupied regions. The vote was the first parliamentary election held in Ukrainian-controlled territory since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022. International observers, including the OSCE, were barred from monitoring, and the EU, the U.K., Switzerland, Norway, Australia, Canada and New Zealand condemned the poll as a “farce.”
Ukraine’s presidential office emphasized that the elections, referendums and electoral districts “do not change” the legal status of the occupied lands, citing international humanitarian law that forbids an occupying power from asserting sovereignty.
Data & Statistics
- 44 sanctioned individuals – includes journalist Irina Kuksenkova, former Ukrainian lawmaker Yuriy Onyshchuk, and Kherson collaborator Olena Dmytruk.
- Casualties from Russian strikes on September 26, 2026 – reports vary between four deaths nationwide and two deaths in Zaporizhzhia.
- Injuries range from four in the Kyiv region to fourteen nationwide, with damage to a kindergarten, a lyceum, a university and multiple energy facilities.
Official Statements & Responses
Zelenskyy’s social-media post warned that “Russia is escalating every single day” and urged partners to adopt “stronger responses” to prevent further spread of the war. He framed the sanctions as a tool to punish those enabling Moscow’s illegal electoral process.
President Trump, speaking after a meeting with Zelenskyy at the U.N. General Assembly, said, “You know what I want him to do? Make a deal,” indicating his willingness to press for a settlement between Kyiv and Moscow.
Ukrainian sanctions policy adviser Vladyslav Vlasiuk reiterated that “neither ‘elections,’ ‘referendums,’ nor ‘electoral districts’ change that status.”
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Death toll: ABC News reported four fatalities across Ukraine, while Kyivpost and UNN cited two deaths in Zaporizhzhia.
- Injury count: RFE/RL and Kyivpost noted fourteen injured nationwide; other outlets mentioned only four injuries in the Kyiv region.
- Election turnout figures: Russian authorities claimed a 59 % turnout and a 57 % vote share for United Russia, but independent observers were denied access, and Ukraine’s foreign ministry called the vote a “farce.”