«International Sanctions Against the Russian Federation in 2022-2023»
Students Name: Sukha Viktoriia Romanivna
Qualification Level: magister
Speciality: International Relations
Institute: Institute of the Humanities and Social Sciences
Mode of Study: part
Academic Year: 2023-2024 н.р.
Language of Defence: ukrainian
Abstract: Western democracies’ sanctions against Russia for its brazen invasion of Ukraine have not stopped the war and indiscriminate attacks on Ukrainian civilians. But sanctions have complicated Russia’s conduct of the war and its ability to use its vast superiority in manpower and military equipment against a smaller, but more determined and resourceful enemy. The imposed restrictions have led to a sharp decline in Russian imports, forced the Russian army and industry to turn to more expensive and inefficient suppliers at home and abroad, and gradually began to put pressure on Russian public finances. Object of this study is international sanctions as a political tool. Scope is international sanctions against the Russian Federation imposed by individual states and organizations in 2022-2023. Goal of the research is to investigate international sanctions imposed against the Russian Federation in 2022-2023. The master’s thesis examines international sanctions against the Russian Federation. The theoretical approaches to highlighting the peculiarities of sanctions and their types in world politics are considered. International sanctions are political, diplomatic and economic measures taken by countries, international organizations or a coalition of countries to restrict trade, financial transactions and other economic activities of a state or person, usually with the aim of changing the behavior of the target of sanctions [4]. Sanctions may include restrictions on trade, financial transactions, travel, and other areas. Sanctions can take various forms, from economic to diplomatic and military measures. The article characterizes the concept of sanctions regimes in international relations and the main global sanctions regimes. Sanctions regimes are a set of sanctions measures that require special implementation measures at the international legal and national legal levels and are introduced for a specific purpose. Many countries apply both sanctions authorized by the UN (there are currently 15 sanctions regimes in place) [5] and autonomous sanctions through domestic legislation. The article analyzes the sanctions imposed by the states of Europe, North America, Australia and Oceania, and Asia against the Russian Federation in 2022- 2023. Some countries have imposed or significantly expanded sanctions against President Vladimir Putin, other members of the government, and Russian citizens in general. Some Russian banks have been banned from using the SWIFT international payment system [3]. Many of the restrictions included export bans, prohibitions on the issuance of securities, and the transfer of intellectual property rights related to limited industrial goods and technologies. The author analyzes the sanctions imposed by the Council of Europe, the EU, the G7, NATO, the FATF, the WTO, and the IMF against Russia in 2022-2023. The most active in this regard are the EU and the G7, whose members are allies and coordinate their actions to ensure the most effective impact of sanctions on the Russian economy and all its sectors, including the energy sector. The Council of Europe and the FATF decided to exclude Russia [1], thus punishing it for committing war crimes against Ukraine. NATO sanctions target Russian state-owned financial, defense, and energy companies. The ways in which the Russian Federation will circumvent international sanctions in 2022-2023 are highlighted. The Russians still have access to purchase units and parts for them from companies located in the G7 countries and other states that allegedly do not support Russia’s intervention in Ukraine. Sanctions circumvention remains a significant problem, as trade between Russia and several Caucasus and Central Asian countries close to Moscow, including Georgia, Kazakhstan, Armenia, and the UAE, has increased dramatically since the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The key role is played by China, whose supplies to Russia have increased dramatically and which more or less manages to balance and not be attacked for its friendship with Russia [2]. Keywords – sanctions, Russian Federation, sanctions regimes, imposition of sanctions, circumvention of sanctions. References. 1. FATF Statement on the Russian Federation. FATF. Available from: https://www.fatf-gafi.org/en/publications/Fatfgeneral/Ukraine-june- 2022.html 2. Mercantile friendship: How and why China helps Russia circumvent sanctions.. Transparency International Ukraine (2023). Available from: https://ti-ukraine.org/en/blogs/mercantile-friendship-how-and-why-china- helps-russia-circumvent-sanctions/ 3. Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine: EU bans certain Russian banks from SWIFT system and introduces further restrictions (2022). Available from: https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press- releases/2022/03/02/russia-s-military-aggression-against-ukraine-eu-bans- certain-russian-banks-from-swift-system-and-introduces-further- restrictions/ 4. Sanctions. United Nations Security Council. Available from: https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/sanctions/information 5. United Nations Charter, Chapter VII: Action with Respect to Threats to the Peace, Breaches of the Peace, and Acts of Aggression. Available from: https://www.un.org/en/about-us/un-charter/chapter-7