Military observer Oleksandr Kovalenko discussed the issue on Telegram.Ukrainian defense enterprises are facing a devastating double blow as Russian forces increasingly focus their strikes on finished weapons stockpiles rather than production facilities themselves. This tactical shift exploits a critical vulnerability in Ukraine's defense contracting system that continues to penalize manufacturers even when delays result from enemy bombardment.While public attention remains focused on attacks against Ukraine's energy infrastructure, a parallel campaign against the country's defense industrial base has gone largely unreported for operational security reasons. However, the consequences of this less visible offensive are becoming severe, with roughly one-third of defense sector enterprises now mired in legal disputes over penalty fees rather than producing crucial military equipment.The paradox is stark: Ukrainian companies fulfilling state defense orders lose production lines and finished products to Russian strikes, yet receive no relief from contractual obligations. Instead, they face financial penalties for delayed deliveries, forcing them to reproduce destroyed equipment at their own expense and driving down already thin profit margins.Russian intelligence has apparently recognized this systemic weakness and adapted accordingly. Rather than destroying factories—which can be rebuilt with state assistance—Moscow now prioritizes hitting warehouses containing completed weapons and equipment. This approach forces manufacturers into a cycle of reproduction costs and accumulating penalties, regardless of their operational capacity.One prominent defense enterprise, which government officials once frequently showcased, now sits both damaged and entangled in litigation. The pattern is repeating across the sector, where functioning facilities with active production lines find themselves sliding toward insolvency not from physical destruction, but from financial obligations they cannot meet due to circumstances beyond their control.As the war enters its fourth year, the fundamental relationship between the Ukrainian state and its defense industry remains unchanged from peacetime standards, creating an exploitable advantage for Russian military planners who have evidently recognized how to weaponize bureaucratic inflexibility against Ukraine's war effort.