DISINFO: Europe realised that anti-Russian sanctions are meaningless
SUMMARY
Russia is strengthening its position in the world due to the sanctions campaign, which, in fact, is completely meaningless. There have been so many conversations about the threats that sanctions would bring for Russia, that they will lead to the refusal of its position in Crimea, in Donbas. But nothing has changed: Russia’s positions remained the same. And the sanctions have become some sort of atavism, with no sense. Like a bow on a cake. Nevertheless, the senselessness of sanctions and the inferiority of sanctions for the European economy provoked questions. Therefore, analysts have already started saying: either you, gentlemen of politics, get a result, or maybe you will cancel the sanctions, and Europe will breathe more freely. Europe suffers from sanctions against Russia.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative that Western sanctions against Russia are unproductive and unjust. Claims that the sanctions are ineffective are not backed by evidence. In reality, most research supports the view that sanctions, imposed on Russia by the US and EU following the annexation of Crimea and Russian meddling in the US election, have worked as planned, noting the drag they have imposed on Russia’s general economic development since 2014: "This adverse effect most likely operates by depressing both foreign trade and foreign capital flows into Russia. Russia’s own counter-sanctions have also had a clear negative effect on the welfare of the average Russian household." The false narrative about sanctions is often backed by false statistics. For example, the alleged economic growth of two percent does not withstand scrutiny. In 2018, the inflation rate went up and the rouble depreciated 20% against the dollar. The sanctions are not an "anti-Russian policy" but were introduced after Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea and the downing of the Malaysian passenger plane MH17. The latest decision on a six-month extension of EU sanctions against Russian was taken on the 12th of September 2019, lasting until March 2020. Further reading on the Russian narrative about ineffective Western sanctions has been published by StopFake. Similar cases on ineffective sanctions can be consulted here, here and here.