KW:
The sanctions war against Russia isn’t going well for the U.S. and its allies. Oligarch assets such as yachts and townhouses have been seized, but Putin regards the oligarchs as potential threats, so he’s happy to see the U.S. destroy them financially.
The Russian ruble is actually stronger than it was before the war began. Most importantly, Russia’s trade surplus rose to $96 billion in the January-April 2022 period, more than triple the surplus for the same period in 2021. Despite all of the sanctions talk in the media, oil and natural gas are still flowing from Russia to Europe and Russia is still being paid in dollars or euros.
It’s another case of the U.S. not being able to think even two moves ahead when it rushes into feel-good sanctions. The costs will only increase.
https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/how-sanctions-have-increased-russias-oil-and-gas-revenue