Der Westen versuchte, die Wirtschaft Russlands zu zerstören. Warum hat es nicht funktioniert

e — they have a network of countries that are willing to help them evade sanctions,” said Fishman. “They have a network of countries that are willing to help them move money, to help them move goods, to help them move people.” One key player in this network is Belarus, which has served as a conduit for Russian weapons and fighters entering Ukraine. The U.S. and EU have imposed sanctions on Belarus, but the country’s authoritarian leader, Alexander Lukashenko, has shown little interest in complying with Western demands. Other countries, such as Iran and Venezuela, have also been willing to assist Russia in evading sanctions. Iran, for example, has reportedly helped Russia sell oil on the black market to bypass Western restrictions. And Venezuela has provided support to Russia in exchange for economic assistance. China, too, has been a key player in helping Russia evade sanctions. Despite its public stance of neutrality in the conflict, China has continued to provide economic support to Russia, including purchasing Russian oil and gas. This support has allowed Russia to continue funding its war effort in Ukraine. The U.S. and EU have attempted to pressure China to cut off its support for Russia, but Beijing has so far resisted these efforts. “China is a key player in this game,” said Fishman. “They have the ability to provide Russia with the economic lifeline it needs to continue its aggression in Ukraine.” The challenge for the West is how to effectively counter this axis of evasion. One option is to increase pressure on countries like Belarus, Iran, Venezuela, and China to comply with Western sanctions. This could involve imposing additional penalties on these countries or their leaders, as well as working with allies to cut off their access to the global financial system. Another option is to increase coordination and intelligence-sharing among Western countries to better track and disrupt illicit financial flows. This could involve sharing information on sanctions violators, as well as coordinating efforts to seize assets and freeze accounts linked to illicit activities. Ultimately, the success of the West’s efforts to stymie Russia will depend on its ability to effectively counter the axis of evasion and disrupt the networks that are helping Russia evade sanctions. This will require a coordinated and sustained effort by Western countries, as well as a willingness to take bold and decisive action to hold countries and individuals accountable for their role in supporting Russia’s aggression in Ukraine

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The West tried to crush Russia’s economy. Why hasn’t it worked?

Illustration by Tarini Sharma for POLITICO Oil income: slashed. Oligarchs’ assets: frozen. Access to weapons: choked. Russia has faced a historic slew of penalties from Washington, Brussels and beyond since it launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. The punishments, chiefly economic sanctions, were designed in large part to drain Russia’s coffers so it would struggle to fund its war. And more pain has been promised as both the U.S. and EU unveiled new sanctions against Russia this week, some tied to the death of imprisoned opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Yet, two years on, Russia’s economy has rebounded. Its factories are humming, its oil and gas sales are relatively strong and its people are at work in

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