Be mindful of who is punished in Russia
- It is one thing to impose sanctions against Putin and his enablers, quite another when ordinary Russians are penalised through no fault of their own
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine has united Western nations in a way not seen since the anti-apartheid movement against South Africa two generations ago. The economic sanctions and sporting and cultural boycotts that took decades to put in place during that era have this time been imposed in a matter of months.
Governments, companies, institutions and organisations, mindful of popular sentiment, have been eager to show they are taking action against what they perceive is a loathed leadership. But there is a fine line between punishing a regime and stigmatising an entire population, necessitating common sense.
Economic and diplomatic sanctions as a rule do not work against governments; North Korea amply makes the point. Whether the measures against Putin and his close associates and state-run firms driven by United States President Joe Biden’s administration and taken up by allies in Europe and Asia will achieve the goal of resolving the Ukraine conflict is a matter of debate.
Such penalties usually deepen acrimony, give less space for diplomacy and negotiations, and in a globalised economy, have damaging spillover effects. Companies and sport and cultural bodies have taken their own action, removing products from shelves, pulling out of deals, banning teams and players and cancelling exhibitions and performances.
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Russian troops accused of war crimes after mass graves found in Bucha near Ukrainian capital
The list is extensive and ever-growing; among the decisions, the football organisations Fifa and Uefa have stopped Russian teams from taking part in their competitions, the International Olympic Committee has urged a banning of Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials, the Russian Formula One Grand Prix has been cancelled, and Russia has been excluded from the Eurovision song contest. A case can be made for bans against people and entities with direct links to the Russian state.
Foreign firms quitting Russia to show disapproval are commercial decisions. Misguided or making no sense is ostracising Russian artists and performers, cancelling university literature courses and boycotting goods and restaurants.
Ordinary Russians have had no say in Putin’s adventurism in Ukraine. They are already being punished by economic sanctions. Anti-Russian sentiment will unite Russians against the West.
