Russia’s continued efforts inside of Ukraine will bring them to economic seclusion and isolation, according to several billionaires inside of Russia, who have kept to using private names in fear of the Putin organisation taking them down.
The fear inside Russia between the wealthiest is dismal, as Russia continues selling weapons to the pro-Russian separatists inside Ukraine. The US has already dropped harsher sanctions on Russia and the European Union is expected to do the same.
Vladimir Putin has said these sanctions will not affect Russian economy harshly, but business owners inside of Russia do not feel the same way. This could lead to many businesses inside Russia looking for opportunities to move to the West.
It is said that Putin has an iron hold of any rebellion, the accusations by Russian businessmen have been made anonymously, in order to keep their business running smoothly inside of Russia. This is not the first time we have heard of Putin controlling the economy and freedom of speech.
Western isolation does not remove some of the inputs, it removes some of the outputs from the Russian economy. Perhaps India, China and other Asian countries might be able to boost output, but we doubt it will be to the same degree as the US and EU.
This will lead to economic depression inside of Russia, same as it did in the Cold War. If Russia fails to leave the battle in Ukraine alone, it might lead to them being condemned as a terrorist sponsor, something Libya faced in the 1980s.
Every country that has went to economic war with the United States and Europe in the past has lost. There is simply too much these nations offer, while Russia can only offer oil and a few other products, which can be bought from other nations.
Russia seems to want some of Ukraine before backing down, whether this is just the South or the full country, we cannot say, but both the US and EU will defend Ukraine if it comes to a full out war.
