Sanctions on Russia

George Robinson43 said:Here is some insight from Russian sources:
Poll: A whopping 71% of Russians believe they will win in Ukraine, with a massive majority backing the war.

Yesterday, Gallup released data from a study regarding the perception of the Russian "special military operation in Ukraine":
- The vast majority of Russians trust the Russian military (84%). In fact, one out of ten (10%) does not. Furthermore, 70% of Russian citizens surveyed believe there is a high probability that the military operation will be a success for the Russian troops.
- 71% of Russians support the decision to carry out the "special military operation" in Ukraine. One in five people (21%) quite strongly opposes the military action, while 8% remain unsure.

It is clear that the people stand behind the war. We need to push for even tougher sanctions.

The most important takeaway from your link:
''Since this is a government agency, it's entirely possible these figures are just part of Russian war propaganda.''

Terry Hernandez10 said:Word is out that Putin has instructed his cabinet to draw up a definitive list of all the nations that have slapped sanctions on Russia—targeting its companies, organizations, and specific individuals alike.

So, how exactly does he plan to strike back this time?

Just more empty threats along the lines of what Kim does.

Drafting up a list of enemies just like Sheldon

I mean, let Russia just kick those "Western" banks out of their entire system. Good luck with that, 😉

Morgan Flores2 said:Russia's GDP is actually lower than Italy's. They’re dumping about 4% of their GDP into the military, which is way higher than everyone else. I guess if you tank their GDP, you end up weakening their military too. But, uh, that’s not happening tomorrow, or even next month, or maybe even in six months.

So, why did the Russians break up the USSR and pull down the Iron Curtain? Was it because they suddenly realized it wasn't fair to bully other nations? Yeah, right. No, it’s just because they couldn't afford it anymore. We need to get Russia back to that point. We have to weaken them since they're a threat, and the European Union really needs to step up and find a way to counter Russia.

The USA isn't going to go to war for Europe. You can see that clearly now. Trump hit the nail on the head—like, they aren't seriously going to jump into a war over Mexico, right? Now Blinken is out here saying, "Oh, if NATO gets attacked, we'll defend them." It feels like empty rhetoric to me, because he knows deep down it won't happen.

That's why NATO will probably just sit there watching while the bloodshed destroys a country they promised to bring into the fold. Even if sanctions actually work—which, who knows, maybe they will—it could take years. Ukraine, I guess you better be ready for that. You're on your own.

We are shipping weapons. That is a far cry from "sitting idly by." Maybe it isn't enough, perhaps, but the situation is getting more serious by the day.
Besides, I think the impact of the sanctions is already becoming visible. We shouldn't have to wait months or even years to see it.



If these sanctions drag on for "years," Russia will essentially be stuck in the Stone Age. Within a few years, the EU will have found alternatives to Russian oil and gas, and once that happens, that trickle of cash they're practically living on will dry up completely.

Whether they conquer Ukraine or not, all of this is going to play out much faster than most people anticipate. Personally, I’ll be watching the markets quite closely when they open this Monday. I suspect the Central Bank of Russia might try to force some kind of recovery to lower levels. How deep they can actually push the price will serve as a real indicator of their current strength or weakness. We don't need to wait months or years; we should start seeing the first signs this coming Monday.

Nancy Bishop2 said:I'm looking at the GDP per country:

Germany 4,230,172 (million USD)
United Kingdom 3,108,416
France 2,940,428
Italy 2,120,232
Russia 1,647,568

And here are the percentages being set aside for defense spending
Germany 1.4%
United Kingdom 2.2%
France 2.1%
Italy 1.6%
Russia 4.3%

Based on these numbers, Germany's total expenditure is barely lower than what Russia pours into its military. Even though those four major European powers completely dwarf Russia in scale, they still act like total pushovers.

I suppose it’s because history has taught them—Germany especially—that outright war and destruction don't actually pay off in the long run. You could say experience has been a stern teacher.
Russia has yet to learn that lesson. It seems they are currently receiving a very pointed education.
Being prudent isn't quite the same thing as being a pushover. Right now, the EU is wielding a weapon far more potent and devastating than any thermonuclear bomb: its own industry and economic might.

George Robinson43 said:Given this latest blow—with Mastercard and Visa pulling out of Russia—we’re looking at a massive run on the banks as everyone rushes to grab their cash.
What’s the solution there? Prohibit withdrawals? How are people supposed to survive?
If everyone pulls their funds at once, the entire banking system could collapse in just a matter of days.

It is truly difficult to wrap my head around the scale of this, let alone predict how long the fallout will last.
I honestly wonder if any economy can sustain this kind of pressure over the long haul. They might have to pivot to a barter system within Russia just to keep things moving for a while.

My understanding is that they've only blocked cross-border transactions, not the domestic ones happening within Russia itself.

William Gonzalez3 said:Reports suggest the whole point of these sanctions is to isolate and drain Russia—essentially hoping to spark enough internal unrest to eventually force a change in leadership.
But if we look at what happened with places like Cuba, Iran, or North Korea—nations that have lived under long-term sanctions—I suspect we can say with some certainty that nothing similar is going to happen here.

In fact, there is a real possibility that this entire anti-Russian campaign—which seems to be going way beyond just the sanctions themselves—might actually play right into Putin's hands by reinforcing his narrative that the West is an enemy of Russia. If that happens, it might just end up making them more unified than ever.

That sounds great on paper. But they'll just end up stuck in the Stone Age, begging the rest of the world for scraps. As long as they can't bite back, they can hug it out if that's really how they want to live. Though, I have my doubts. They have two new generations growing up who have lived their whole lives with iPhones, high-speed internet, and all the comforts of the very West they claim to hate. This isn't 1941; things don't work that way anymore.

Terry Hernandez10 said:Word is out that Putin has instructed his cabinet to draw up a definitive list of all the nations that have slapped sanctions on Russia—targeting its companies, organizations, and specific individuals alike.

So, how exactly does he plan to strike back this time?

He basically told them, "Hand over the list, you have two days." Honestly, it's almost laughable; I suppose we could probably whip up a similar list right here on this forum in about half an hour if we really wanted to. 🤣

George Robinson43 said:If it’s coming out of Russia, then it must be 100% factual!

🤣 Pure nonsense!

silverotter72 said:My understanding is that they've only blocked cross-border transactions, not the domestic ones happening within Russia itself.

Banks will likely treat those cards as standard debit cards—essentially just for physical use at the point of sale.
That said, I'm quite uncertain whether there will actually be enough cash available in ATMs to allow for withdrawals using such cards.
They'll probably rely on them for retail purchases at the register, using whatever small amount of cash they have left from their upcoming paychecks.😉
Ultimately, though, Americans living in Russia find themselves completely severed from the rest of the world.

Arthur Watson4 said:Drafting up a list of enemies just like Sheldon

😂
I just hope they can push out updates fast enough, 24/7...

silverotter72 said:I suppose it’s because history has taught them—Germany especially—that outright war and destruction don't actually pay off in the long run. You could say experience has been a stern teacher.
Russia has yet to learn that lesson. It seems they are currently receiving a very pointed education.
Being prudent isn't quite the same thing as being a pushover. Right now, the EU is wielding a weapon far more potent and devastating than any thermonuclear bomb: its own industry and economic might.

The smart players realized that you conquer the world through economics; why bother slaughtering your future customers?🤔
If Putin weren't such an idiot—and let's face it, he is—every former Soviet republic could have easily become a consumer base for the Russian economy. With just a little bit of effort, Russia could have lived quite comfortably just by tapping into their markets.

As morbid as it sounds, the West should almost be thanking Putin.

lp

Bryan Booth82 said:The smart players realized that you conquer the world through economics; why bother slaughtering your future customers?🤔
If Putin weren't such an idiot—and let's face it, he is—every former Soviet republic could have easily become a consumer base for the Russian economy. With just a little bit of effort, Russia could have lived quite comfortably just by tapping into their markets.

As morbid as it sounds, the West should almost be thanking Putin.

lp

Exactly. If there weren't all this death and destruction in Ukraine, Russia's enemies would have had a hard time dreaming up a better way to demote Russia to a mediocre global player.

Honestly, I feel for the decent Russians and Ukrainians whose lives and livelihoods are being sacrificed for this decline. If Russia had possessed even remotely competent leadership, they might have collaborated with the West and used those massive resources to become an industrial superpower. Instead, they've managed to sink themselves down to a level where people are basically saying, "Well, if Iran is doing okay, I guess we can too."

silverotter72 said:Exactly. If there weren't all this death and destruction in Ukraine, Russia's enemies would have had a hard time dreaming up a better way to demote Russia to a mediocre global player.

Honestly, I feel for the decent Russians and Ukrainians whose lives and livelihoods are being sacrificed for this decline. If Russia had possessed even remotely competent leadership, they might have collaborated with the West and used those massive resources to become an industrial superpower. Instead, they've managed to sink themselves down to a level where people are basically saying, "Well, if Iran is doing okay, I guess we can too."

And honestly, even looking ahead... because everything eventually comes to an end. Once the Russians start healing their wounds and finally facing the bill for all this, the inevitable mantra will emerge: "It's the West's fault again!" Because, let's face it, they would never turn on their own kind, would they?

Unless Russia undergoes a complete catharsis—similar to what the Germans experienced after their last major war—they are never going to recover from this mess.
What Russia truly needs is a total psychological reset. But how do you achieve that? It requires either a vast amount of time or a crushing, absolute defeat.
I fear they won't get either.

Best regards,

And just like that, it’s all starting again.🤔

lp

silverotter72 said:Exactly. If there weren't all this death and destruction in Ukraine, Russia's enemies would have had a hard time dreaming up a better way to demote Russia to a mediocre global player.

Honestly, I feel for the decent Russians and Ukrainians whose lives and livelihoods are being sacrificed for this decline. If Russia had possessed even remotely competent leadership, they might have collaborated with the West and used those massive resources to become an industrial superpower. Instead, they've managed to sink themselves down to a level where people are basically saying, "Well, if Iran is doing okay, I guess we can too."

Hmm, yeah... Russia could have become some sort of hub for the conservative West, since they don't deal with all that liberal stuff over there. They could've been one of the wealthier nations too, but whatever. No grand alliance stretching from Lisbon to Seattle. It's a shame, really.

Maybe in 20, 50, or even 100 years

Bryan Booth82 said:

And just like that, it’s all starting again.🤔

lp

Haha!

Just 35 seconds—it’s like watching JPMorgan Chase settle in San Francisco! 🙏 🙏

Grace Bennett6 said:Maybe in 20, 50, or even 100 years

Honestly, it could happen much sooner than that. Once this whole aggressive campaign finally collapses under its own weight... when our "friends" from China swoop in to pick up the pieces and buy up everything in Russia for pennies on the dollar... we might very well hear them shouting, "Help us out, fellow Europeans!"
Anything is possible in this world.🤔

lp