How Effective Are Sanctions on Russia? - Geo-political analysis
Official sources from the USA state:
"The United States (and, in response to certain activities, the EU and others) has imposed sanctions on Russia mainly to pressure Russia to withdraw from Crimea and eastern Ukraine; to cease malicious cyber activity against the United States, its allies, and partners; to deter and, in some instances, take punitive steps in response to human rights abuses and corruption; to abide by the Chemical Weapons Convention; and to halt Russia’s support to the Syrian and North Korean regimes.
Many observers have debated the degree to which sanctions promote change in Russia’s behavior. Russia has not reversed its occupation and annexation of Crimea, it has not stopped fostering separatism in eastern Ukraine, and it has extended military operations to the Black Sea and the Azov Sea bordering Ukraine and Russia. However, it has signed two agreements that recognize the entire occupied region in eastern Ukraine as part of Ukraine, and Russian-led separatist military operations have been limited to areas along the perimeter of the current conflict zone.
Russia has not expanded its military aggression to other states.
With respect to other malign activities, the relationship between sanctions and Russian behavior is difficult to determine. Sanctions in response to Russia’s malicious cyber-enabled activities, human rights abuses, corruption, use of a chemical weapon, weapons proliferation, and support to Syria and North Korea are relatively limited and highly targeted. The extent to which such sanctions might be expected to change Russian behavior is unclear. To the extent that Russia does
change its behavior, other factors besides sanctions could be responsible."
Further reading: https://fas.org/sgp/crs/row/R45415.pdf
Given that:
a) Russia did not annexe Crimea but responded to a Crimean referendum which proved that the population wished to be Russian rather than Ukrainian.
b) The Eastern Ukraine (Donbass & Lugansk) recently held elections with which it was decided to seek independence from Ukraine. These elections are supported by Russia and they are expected to recognise Donbass & Lugansk as independent countries shortly.
c) There is no substantial evidence to suggest that Russia has engaged in any form of cyber warfare but plenty to support the notion that the UK & US do so all the time.
d) Human rights abuses and corruption are a normal everyday occurrence in NATO countries, evidenced by the recent UN report that the UK is punishing poverty and homelessness.
e) There have been 4 separate reports of US aircraft using phosphorus in Syria and no reports of Russia using WMDs, chemical or otherwise.
f) The embarrassing efforts of the UK government who fail to substantiate their ludicrous claims in respect of Russians poisoning people around the Salisbury area.
g) The valiant & successful Russian defence of Syria and North Korea in the face of blatant regime change actions initiated by NATO countries.
NATO members
NATO brings together 29 sovereign countries from Europe and North America, consulting and cooperating in the field of security and defence.
All Alliance decisions are taken by consensus, with each Ally having an equal say. Members are committed to the same values and share the strategic goal of maintaining security in the Euro-Atlantic area.
NATO members have pledged to support each other against attack, in accordance with Article 5 of the Alliance’s founding treaty, which asserts that an attack against one is an attack against all.
One has to ask:
What are the real reasons for the sanctions?
What are the real objectives of NATO countries?
What right do NATO countries have to impose sanctions?
To answer my own questions I offer an appraisal of geo-politics which explains the constant pressure on Russia and the true motivation behind the relentless NATO aggression:
Look at this.... cyber attacks designed to appear to come from Russian IP addresses? Oh please, even the technophobia ridden among us know how easy it is for a hacker to disguise their IP address.... hell, I remember a very amusing event a couple of years back in which a cyber attack was traced back to the UK Department of Works and Pensions!
https://www.computerweekly.com/news/252453892/Phishing-at-centre-of-cyber-attack-on-Ukraine-infrastructure?asrc=EM_EDA_104556947&utm_medium=EM&utm_source=EDA&utm_campaign=20181205_IT%20monitoring%20tops%20uses%20for%20machine%20data%20analytics
The UK establishment appears to be conducting the very activities of which it and its allies have long-accused the Kremlin, with little or no corroborating evidence. The program also aims to "change attitudes in Russia itself" as well as influencing Russian speakers in the EU and North America, one of the leaked documents states.
https://www.rt.com/news/444737-uk-funded-campaign-russia-leaks/?fbclid=IwAR38hGCIZDKfUpN7smdQK43odO4YwKwCUhtOuglj9LmuwbA5jg7O1tUOAoY
VIDEO: History of Russia - Tsars and Revolutions - Documentary
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The British army's 77th Brigade is a combined regular and army reserve unit responsible for using "legitimate non-military levers" as a means "to adapt behaviors of the opposing forces." Which means they are trolling social media.
https://sputniknews.com/russia/201812031070335002-uk-psychological-warfare-ukraine/?fbclid=IwAR33Ubd0XiGYfj8bbXrCA3wqHwkiQ7v0jjDvSfo99uHwiCgZ57cBB3jV9JU