Public sentiment is largely skeptical and critical of the effectiveness of US sanctions against Russia. Many commenters express frustration over the perceived hypocrisy of the US approach, questioning the sincerity of actions taken and highlighting how sanctions have not led to meaningful changes in the conflict. There is a strong call for a more strategic foreign policy that genuinely addresses the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine while respecting India's sovereignty and the complexities of global geopolitics.

United States

Russia

Ukraine

Because the bank account has to hit zero for them to work (as the Western leaders wanted them to).

The sanctions have done massive damage, but they never going to collapse Russia.

Carlitos96

Here we go with the idiots showing the world that they are idiots. There are some people who just can't seem to understand that sanctions do not **compel** a belligerent to stop fighting. They just can't understand someone willingly choosing to accept economic pain to achieve some goal. I remember all the idiots during the Persian Gulf war who thought that sanctions alone would be enough to get Saddam Hussein to leave Kuwait and were flabbergasted when he just ignored the sanctions. "But, but...we've told him we don't like him doing that, why doesn't he listen?"

Sanctions can never compel a belligerent to do anything. They can potentially *persuade*, but the most important role they play is to weaken, and generally their biggest impact is a cumulative one over *generations* - like [this](https://www.38north.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Fig2-Nightlights-23-0403-scaled.jpg) (notice that even so, North Korea isn't **compelled** to do anything).. 

In the context of Russia, sanction could **never** compel a Russian withdrawal. Russia is a major producer and exporter of all the basic commodities that a nation needs to provide for its own people and to wage war; food, petroleum products, metals, nitrates (for both explosives AND fertilizer), potash, etc., etc. They don't have to buy any of those basic necessities on the world market so any external sanctions don't have much impact on those basics. If you have steel, nitrates, oil, manpower, and food, you can keep fighting indefinitely until and unless you run out of one of those things. What sanctions can do is to make the things that Russia does have to import (semiconductors, some machine tools, etc.) more expensive, which economically weakens Russia. That's about it.

GrizzledFart

It's not like that. Russia trades with many countries. You cant cut Russia off without antagonising all their trading partners, most of whom care as much about Ukraine as the average Ukrainian does about the Sahel. 

It's is easy to argue to cut them (Russia's trading partners) off Swift or whatever else. That would only accelerate the development and adoption of alternatives. 

The US could stop trading with them (Russia's trading partners) to pressurize them. Then they'll find other partners to trade with. At the end of the day, the Ukraine conflict is not as significant to much of the world as some would like to believe. It's not pragmatic to throw one's weight around incessantly. It makes the weight lighter. There are many that root for Russia simply because it stands up to the Americans/capitalists/imperialists. They couldn't care less about the Ukraine or the Donbas republics.

Edited to clarify the text.

shriand

tmr89

There is a _wealth_ of literature on state sanctions and economic warfare. Issues arise over what goalpost people think of when determining success, what opportunity costs are accrued, how do sanctions change decision calculus for the sanctioned party, and when they are just a bad idea (ie: Saddam starving his population by shifting the cost of sanctions onto them).

Sanctions have increased the cost of the invasion and war effort a lot, but it's not enough

Gimme_Your_Wallet

Russias economy is backed by its massive oil and gas reserves, which are really really hard to sanction. They are a globally traded commodity, so taking a major supplier out of the market bankrupts the supplier, but also raises prices for everyone else. The lack of Russian gas has caused a slowdown in Germanys economy already. The other part that sucks here is that you can't turn off the physical infrastructure without damage. Capping a well means at some point you need to have a new well drilled to bring the supply back on line.

The other thing to note with the price caps is that we're basically taking Russian profits and handing them to India and China. They can buy oil below market, and either use it or sell it for the difference. Ultimately we don't want Russian petro products completely offline, or we'll have a global energy affordability crisis. But the price caps are set to be break even, so they can't use any profits to fund the war.

gobells1126

Answer: Because sanctions aren't a form of eldritch magic?  Indian companies and politicians like money, so they break them.  China DGAF so they break them.  That's why.

rockeye13

Heartland theory by Mackinder, the father of geopolitics:


Geopolitical Dominance: Mackinder proposed that any power that could control the Heartland would have the ability to project influence over Europe, Asia, and Africa, effectively controlling the global power balance.

Basically Russia occupies the heartland and is too big and too important. There are ofc counters to the heartland theory like dominance of the seas and American exceptionalism, but the truth stands that Russia hasn’t folded, yet.


It also helped that Russia has centralized itself since the 90s and did another 180 degree pivot from pro western position.

Also the Russophobia has pushed a lot of Russians back into Russia. And I am talking about those people who wanted to leave Russia in 2022 and did so, but came back because of discrimination and hatred for being Russia. 

Which prompted people to go back to Russia, as well as stopped others from leaving the country.

DontHitDaddy

The existing of the BRICS is to counter potential western sanctions, and it is doing exactly that.

BaconMeetsCheese

In my layman understanding it was 3 big factors.

1. America didn't want to target their biggest money makers for some reason.
2. Europe handwrung about following along since they're leashed by Russias oil exports
3. Russia got China to subsidize them to the point where they're essentially a vassal(Think America and UK)

BrassJazzy

They didn't collapse Russia's economy like some were hoping, but they certainly worked. Russia's ability to finance its war effort has been hampered. They're mainly using gas revenue, but it's not enough, so they're draining their sovereign wealth fund instead.

Tifoso89

Well Russia or USSR already survived cold war once, do you think ppl there even care about second time? Obviously it's annoying, since it mostly hurts only regular ppl and small businesses and doesn't do anything to any oligarchs who has 5 foreign passports and 20 foreign accounts outside of Russia, so ppl already know just have to brace better. Also it stances the position for russians that west = bad. As it always fucks up their, already pretty hardcore life even more, and doesn't hurt those who should be punished. Also the hypocrisy Russia vs Israel for example. So yeah. 

lovelovetropicana

That's crude oil and natural gas, how could you possibly sanction them? That's not possible. You cannot stop Russia's cargo ship from navigating on high seas without warships.

Glory4cod

It is just a matter of time. think chemistry class, drop drop drop, turnd to blue.

  
This month alone Ukraine hit 20% of their refinery production. You don't massive action to stop a mine from operations, or destroy a refinery.

The sanctions have an effect, everything would turn out very well if the US wasn't off.

One-Strength-1978

Because Russia is cashing in selling oil and other resources to India and China, and to a lesser extent Iran,  and even the EU. 


Stop financing invasion and normalizing annexation! It is going to bring chaos to the world!

DaySecure7642

Lost-Letterhead-6615

How about I dunno stop buying so much Russian gas? Or stop letting all of Putin’s pals send their kids to posh boarding schools across Europe? Or stop their wives and mistresses from freely traveling around the place? Or buying up vast chunks of real estate? Or football clubs? 

Shadow fleet? Stop this performative nonsense.

Rich-Marzipan1647

You need 19 rounds of sanctions means the first 18 didn't work?

Proud_Balance_6626

GreatBurgundy

eddietours1

Red-Menace1949

Stop importing LNG into the EU. Russian gas imports to the EU in 2024
Total gas imports: The EU imported about 52 bcm of Russian gas in 2024, an 18% increase over 2023 figures, driven primarily by higher LNG purchases. 

More than $ 1.1 billion moved from EU into Russia for Gas.

AccomplishedFan3151

If you took your car to the mechanic 18 times and it still does not work you have 2 choiches:

a- Admit you have a shitty mechanic

b- Believe that the 19th times it will work

If you choose option B, you are Europe....

BudgetHistorian7179

icytongue88

Here is the truth, folks: If the EU wanted to defeat Russia and make Ukraine victorious, they would have done so YEARS ago. The simple fact is that nobody in the EU cares for Ukraine enough, actually, to allow it to win the war.

Kristex316

Prize-Grapefruiter

Niafarafa

When will these imbeciles learn that Russia has less than 20% public debt to GDP ratio? They don't give a fuck about sanctions and financial markets because they have an autarky. If they want to hurt Russia then they should send more weapons to Ukraine and a bunch more young men down the meatgrinder.

Fer4yn

Thanks, from Russia :) Thanks to the sanctions, Russia is living better! Please don't cancel them!

MasterHalm

Russia is like a magnet for conservative investors from all over the world. They earn money from investments there. To weaken these conservatives, it is necessary to destroy the Russian economy. Then they will lose their "easy money" and will not be able to retain power.

Icy-Squirrel6422

Last 18 shots in the foot weren't enough? Damn, EU is tough I'll give them that.

Dr_Diktor

EU sinking fast by following the fallen empire of the US. They have been the pigs in the trough for way to long...it's over!

No_Job_5208

You can fight an enemy wisely,  take them one at a time,  using diplomacy to isolate them.

Or you can do it like the EU: try to take on Russia **and its entire network of trade partners** at the same time.

Oh sure, fighting on multiple fronts will definitely bring you victories.

I don’t know what’s worse… a devious enemy, a stupid ally, or bunch clueless leaders

guess we will find out soon.

medicsansgarantee

18 rounds of sanctions? Lets read this article from a conservative British news source


https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/feb/24/eu-spends-more-russian-oil-gas-than-financial-aid-ukraine-report

Kange109

Submission Statement: Alexander Kolyandr discusses a significant shift in US policy towards Russia, as President Trump threatens to impose 100% tariffs on countries trading with Russia if a ceasefire is not reached within 50 days. This move contrasts with the previous lack of meaningful sanctions and raises questions about the effectiveness of the US sanctions regime, especially as Russian businesses adapt to existing restrictions. While the EU has taken the lead in imposing sanctions, the Kremlin remains defiant, and the potential impact of US tariffs on key trading partners like China and India complicates the situation further.

CEPAORG

At his request,  Russia helped  elect Trump in 2016 and again in 2024.

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kxG8uJUsWU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kxG8uJUsWU)

  Trump has shown time and time again that he is a Russian asset.

Trump's threats are likely a diversion from the economic disaster the Republicans have created.

RobotAlbertross

Trump is a coward and Russias bitch. Russian markets skyrocketed after the threat because they know he is full of shit and won't lift a finger against Putin directly, and only sell weapons to Ukraine as Europe buys them because he is a slave to his infinite greed and to be seen by all as a money maker.


If he does any of these things they will politically and personally ruin him with the dirt Putin-daddy has. When Russia posts the facts he will call it fake news but the damage will be catastrophic. 

Illustrious_Ad_4558

And we all know that the first round of sanctions ended the war and created 1000 years of peace on earth.

Cultural-Flow7185

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You’re telling an inept short-sighted archaic man made an inept short-sighted mistake? How crazy!

But don’t worry, Russia will collapse *any* moment now (they have been saying this since the start of the war)

agreaterfooltool

Sanctions only work insofar as your country has the economic girth to be intimidating. If you are a country without much in the way of a large economy, like, say Estonia, and you sanction another small country like Madagascar tomorrow and completely cut off trade, nothing much is going to change in terms of the global economy.

The US economy has been a significant portion of the world economy (at times as much as a fifth) such that it has traditionally enjoyed the capability to sanction other countries at will. But the US needs to realize that they are a much smaller part of the world now, and there is a new cold war. Sanctions just don't work no more, yanks.

Sanctions used to be devastating, but as the Cubans, Koreans, Iranians and now the Russians have shown, they simply do not have much of an effect, especially when you are a large and diversified economy like Russia. And even if you are small, all it takes is finding different trade partners and adjusting your economic sectors to work with the resources available from your new trade partners. For Cuba, this was Spain and Venezuela, and for Korea, this was China.

There is no commodity in the world that only the US is capable of producing that you can't find alternatives for easily, except for maybe extremely high end computer processors. But these are rather easy to smuggle - just ask China. Everything that the US can offer, there is someone else that is not a US ally that can sell it to you. Satellites? Russia. Oil? Iran, Venezuela. Wheat? Russia. Cars? China.

The only thing that the United States and Europe can consistently produce with quality that you cannot get anywhere else is fascists.

Hueyris

I disagree, the sanctions did affect Russian precision manufacturing capabilities (european cnc machines, microchips), thats the reason behind delays of modern weaponry, Russia allying with China was the saving grace.

FederalPerformer8494

El_Grande_El

It's worth noting that BRICS is buying gas from Russia at below market rates so while sanctions didn't completely disconnect Russia from the global markets it did throttle it considerably.

733t_sec

"Amount" of sanctions doesn't matter, because most of them are like about very niche matters, like "prohibit Kher Govnov (3rd secretary in the apparatus of 45th parliamentary in the Nowheresk Oblast) buy anything in the IKEA because sometimes it can be landmines".

DPRK and Saddam's Iraq are far more impressive,

Facensearo

Pallid85

I'd say the main thing is that the collective west is far from the only player in the field. Hence, it's not like every single country in the world refused to work with Russia. Quite the opposite.

If we're talking about cutting all external ties, then I'd say no country in the world is capable of doing so without a significant decrease in quality of life.

Mischail

Well, given that we've set a record in just how many sanctions there are, I don't know if we can really speculate - it's unprecedented. But there *are* examples of other countries surviving significant sanctions and diplomatic pressure. Iran or North Korea being the obvious ones. Both handled it much harder than Russia, but still, they managed to establish alternate market routes or develop domestic industries, and after some time even grew their military potential. 

Even Russia needed a lot of preparation to do as well as we did. Had this same level of sanctions hit in, say, 2014, things would be much worse. It took a great deal of foresight and significant effort to prepare. 

I'd say China could probably handle something similar well enough, though it'd still take it much harder because of how much of its economy relies on the Western markets. It wouldn't be a cakewalk, but still, it has the resources and the industrial base to support itself for some time.

Dawidko1200

Sanctions are against nature and basic economic logic. 

Do you want an example? 

Drugs: they are illegal to produce, to sell and almost everywhere in the world to buy. The market of the drugs is still flourishing and is huge.

If somebody has something rare to sell (resources), and the price is good, considering the hassle of circumventing the sanctions, you will always find a buyer.

bbbbastard

 Iran was under sanctions for many years, Сhina was under multiple sanctions for at least 5 years, Cuba was not just under sanctions but experienced and survived almost complete Navy siege during the Cold War. North Korea is heavily sanctioned by many countries right now.

Advanced-Fan1272

Russia survives sanctions because Chinese and Indian economies have become big enough to substitute Europe.

fan_is_ready

Russia, a former republic of the Soviet Union, has demonstrated resilience to sanctions, a trait rooted in its Soviet past.

The sanctions imposed on the Soviet Union compelled it to develop a robust industrial base across various fields.

While many of those Soviet-era factories have since disappeared, some have endured, including those in the microprocessor sector.

Additionally, medium-sized Russian cities are home to universities with experienced professors capable of training skilled engineers.

These factors highlight the significant role the Soviet Union played in shaping Russia’s contemporary resilience.

pane_ca_meusa

1. No
2. IMO Iran seems more impressive in sanctions survival. They have own automotive industry which is bigger than russian (not 80% Chinese imports and 20% local assemble meh cars), planes fly, etc, etc. But their quality of life is worse.
3. Russia is still not self sufficient in so many ways, just paying extra to get things required and doing shady transactions. 
4. We are paying price for it. Unsanctioned goods cost 1x and sanctioned might cost from 1.2x to way more.
5. What if the most serious sanctions weren't implemented yet?

Whatever_acc

Actually no, Iran and North Korea are also surviving

urakozz

Nobody can sanction Russia, Russia is a founder of UN and has a right to veto any decision of them. The USA use leading role of dollar in world finances against Russia and call it sanctions. 

uchet

The West doesn’t produce much, so its sanctions don’t bite. Anyone. Now if China started sanctioning countries…

novog75

Depends on what you mean by survive, Northern Korea still exists. And I bet China would cope even better with US/EU sanctions than we.

Comfortable_Egg8039

Probably, not the only one, but one of very few.


The main reason for this is the structure of Russian foreign trade. Russia is one of the biggest world's producer of food and commodities: oil and oil products, natural gas, metals, grain, fertilizer etc. These goods simply cannot be removed from world market without crashing down global economy.


Also, having land border with China helps. China needs Russia for geopolitical reasons, which creates incentives for the Chinese government to help us even under risk of secondary sanctions.

Affectionate_Ad_9687

Have you ever hears of a place called Cuba?

coverfire339

novi-korisnik

Not the only one, but it's very nebulous discussion. 

What do you mean by survive? Enough to not die? Prosper and reach top numbers of GDP? 

Because answer will depend on question details.

Katamathesis

FengYiLin

The impressive part isn't that Russia survived but actually thrived despite the sanctions.

Alpha_Zoom

Yes no maybe

So as an Iranian in Moscow I kinda want to write a book about this at some point comparing the countries but

because of it's good expat community living in many countries which dates back to Soviet soft power and being a cheap producer of military essential (and oil but iran has that too) its far easier for ordinary Russians to make shell companies within shell companies because 3rd parties want to be prepared for a future where they might need that, and the perception of temporaryness of the sanctions definitely helps too. Take Singapore, on paper with the west but the members of their embassy are actively looking for partners for Singaporean businesses for the moment where sanctions are lifted

Typical_Army6488

Humanity_is_broken

What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger

Sht_n_giglz

&gt; As stated above, I was wondering what your opinion is (hopefully backed by facts and good arguments).
I think yes, because Russia is a big country with many ressources and access to countries outside of the collective west.

If we talk absolute numbers, then yeah, probably. There's literally no countries with more sanctions than Russia.

But really, Iran and North Korea do relatively well, given their circumstances. Cuba and Venezuela do a bit worse.

photovirus

Sanctions are a ban from Europe and the USA on THEIR companies to trade relations with the Russian market. Such a ban leads first of all to the ruin of these very companies, because they need cheap resources to make a profit. And also the market where they beat the competition, which is much more difficult to do in the USA or China.

That is, the question here is which companies will not go bankrupt after severing ties with Russia, and not what will happen to Russia.

DiscaneSFV

Russia is the largest country in the whole world, twice as large as China, twice as large as the US, and 5 times the size of India.  
  
Sanctions had the opposite effect on Russia. They have so much land and resources, it only forced them to be more productive. Its also true that 3/4 of the world still trades with Russia, that makes it more digestible.

Sanctions do not work on countries with a large number of resources. I personally think they are a bad idea generally. Instead of talking to countries, avoiding them, only empowers the leadership long-term. The poor will suffer. If we are upset with leaders, sanctions will not stop them from living their life.

sshivaji

Non-Russian there. A fiscal responsible government, run by competent people, with low debt, reasonable taxes and lots of reserves can help A LOT in terms of macroeconomic stability in these situations.

My country (🇧🇷), which never have any problems with sanctions, let alone mobilize the economy to fight a war, lives hand-to-mouth thanks to 16 years being run by incompetent leftists' goons, have worst economic indicators (except inflation, maybe) than 🇷🇺, and I won't be surprised if we enter in recession first than the russians, even if the sanctions didn't get lifted.

Chucksweager

Russia is still rich and there're a lot of ways, how to bypass sanctions. Moreover, bypassing sanctions is not initiative from russia only (but from european countries as well).

lovermann

I live in Russia. Russia is under sanctions. I survive.

What else can I say except that life goes on. Sanctions made doing global things one, sometimes several, steps harder, true, but things are getting done. I wouldn't say that Russia has it worse than the other sanctioned countries, doesn't feel like it. But what do I know, I've never been to those other countries.

And then there's Business 101: where there's a void, there's a way. Only now it isn't entirely foreign, but domestic, more often - domestic imitating a foreign, or foreign from countries that aren't obligated by the sanctions, slip through the cracks or plainly don't care.

IonPurple

Yes, you are right. But I am sure almost any country will easily survive this sanctions policy.


Imagine that you want to order a pizza. You call a pizzeria, but they tell you that they will not bring you a pizza because they want you to die of hunger. You just call another pizzeria and order a pizza.


This is how the Western sanctions strategy looks simplified.

OddLack240

North Korea is way more isolated and yet survives.

Surviving is however a different thing from doing well. Russia is *not* doing well economically.

Lockrime

US officials have emphasized a readiness to implement strong sanctions against Russia in response to ongoing aggression in Ukraine, seeking to pressure Russia while supporting peace negotiations.

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